A Girl Called Granger
by AnneM.Oliver
Summary: She said her name was Granger. He once knew a girl named Granger. Was it be the same girl? She was on holiday & it appeared they gave her room to someone else. Infact,they gave it to Draco Malfoy. Will he give it back & she accept? Will they fall in love?
1. 1: A Room With a View

**all characters belong to JKR**

_A/N: This story is influenced by "A Room with A View", hence the title of the first chapter. Thanks!_

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**A Girl Called Granger**

By

AnneM.

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**1- A Room with a View**

Hermione Granger and her mother ran into the lobby of a small hotel in Italy. Her mother stopped by the doors and said, "Darling, I'm not as young as you, and I can't run any longer."

"You stay here mother, I'll go check us in," Hermione said. She walked up to the front desk and said, "Excuse me, my name's Hermione Granger, and I have a reservation for a deluxe suite with a view." She bent down to fix the strap on her shoe.

A man stood in the doorway of the small hotel, heading toward the staircase. He had just checked in before them, and he had just stolen their room. He stopped by the archway to watch the pretty girl check in. He watched as she bent down and fixed the strap of her shoe. She had very nice legs, whoever she was. He once knew a girl named Granger. Could it be her? Of course it was.

"Miss Granger," the desk clerk said, "I am so sorry, but check in time was 4pm and it's now after five. We just gave your room away."

"Oh, please tell me you didn't," she cried.

"I'm so sorry, but I did," the man said, truly sorry.

"You see, my mother is recently divorced, and I just broke my engagement, so we wanted to come to Italy to get away, and this is one of the few Wizarding hotels, which also is run by the British, and we just really need that room," she almost whined.

"We really don't have that room any longer, but we have one room left. It's a single, but we could bring up a cot," the desk clerk explained.

"Does it have a view?" she asked.

"Not really," he said, "It only has one small window."

"But, we missed our plane, and then the cab we took got a flat tire, so you see, it's not our fault," Hermione was still determined to get her room with a view. "I really don't want to be here for a week in a single room, with no view."

"And a shared bathroom," the clerk stated.

"No!" Hermione practically screamed.

Her mother came up to the desk and said, "We'll take that room, but perhaps if you get another room available, you might be able to move us?"

"Of course, madam," the man at the front desk said, smiling. He called the bellboy over and told him to collect their bags and show them to their room.

The man that was watching the entire exchange in the corner laughed and decided he was going to have some fun at her expense.

Hermione and her mother were shown to their room. It looked more like a closet. The bathroom was to the left, and was shared by the room next to them. The bellboy explained that the two rooms were usually used by families, but that the woman in the other room was a very nice young lady.

He put their bags down and left to get the cot. Hermione's mother stood up on the bed, and looked out the long, thin window, which was in the corner of the room. "Sweetheart," she said to Hermione, "if you stand on the bed, open up the window, and lean up on the windowsill, you can just get a glimpse of the seashore."

"How exciting, mother," Hermione said with disdain. "You know, I was so looking forward to this vacation."

Her mother got down from the bed and said, "It'll still be a nice vacation, dear. I'm going to go freshen up," and she left to go to the bathroom. Hermione did indeed stand up on the bed, opened up the window, and leaned out as far as she could. She was leaning up on the window seal so that her feet were no longer touching the bed.

Just then, Draco Malfoy walked into Hermione's room. He cocked his head to the side. Her backside and her legs were the only things he saw. It was a nice backside, after all. The legs he had already determined were nice, too. He said, "Are you going to jump?"

She was momentarily stunned. She knew that voice from somewhere. She lifted herself from the ledge, and put her feet back on the bed. She turned around and saw Draco Malfoy standing in front of her, with his arms crossed, and that ever-loving smirk plastered on his face.

"I was trying to see the view," she said, walking across the bed. He offered his hand to her to help her step down. She didn't accept, but stepped down firmly on the floor all on her own, using the wall to steady her until she hit solid ground. "So, Malfoy, fancy meeting you here."

"Here?" he mused.

"In my room," she clarified. "What are you doing here, in my room? I could care less what you're doing in Italy."

Just then, the bellhop brought his suitcases into the room and set them on the floor. Draco gave him a tip, and said, "Take these other suitcases out of here; I don't know to whom they belong."

"Those are mine, and don't take them anywhere," she said, rushing up to the bellboy. "Seriously, Malfoy, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"Oh, there's a slight misunderstanding. You're in my room. So, bye, bye, Miss Granger," Draco said, waving to her.

"This is our room. Well, we had a suite with two bedrooms and a private bath and a wonderful view, but someone took that room, because we were a little late," she felt compelled to tell him.

"Yes, I was that person. That would be my room," he said, sitting on the bed.

"You just said this was your room!" she waned.

"Oh, well, this is my room as well. I needed somewhere to put my luggage," he stated.

"No, you took our big beautiful room, and you are not taking our small little one as well! I'll go down and straighten this whole thing out, but for now, get out of my room, Malfoy!" She pointed toward the door.

Her mother walked out of the bathroom at that exact moment. Draco stood up, went to shake her hand, and said, "Hello, Mrs. Granger. My name is Draco Malfoy. I went to school with your daughter. It's so nice to meet you."

"Well, aren't you sweet, and good looking," she said, looking over at Hermione. Hermione wanted to throw up. Draco took Mrs. Granger's hand and kissed her knuckles.

Hermione reached over and took her mother's hand from his and said, "Don't touch him, Mother, you might catch something. I have to go to the lobby to straighten out a misunderstanding. Stay here, Mother."

She stormed from the room and Draco followed. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I thought it would be fun to watch you make a fool out of yourself. I know it was always good for a laugh back in school," he said. She glared at him and started down the stairs. He stood in front of her and said, "Wait a minute, Granger."

"What?" she asked more annoyed than she had been in a long time. He was two steps lower than she, making them the same height.

"I lied. I asked the front desk to trade our rooms. I heard your little predicament down in the lobby, and since I was the one who stole your room, and you'll be here a week, and I'm only here for a couple of days for business, I thought I would take the small room, and you can have your suite back," he told her.

She put her chin up, waiting for the punch line, or for the other shoe to drop. "What's the real reason, Malfoy? What's your ulterior motive?" she asked.

"I was trying to be nice, believe it or not," he said, "but you wound me, truly you do. You don't trust me, do you?"

"Not only do I not trust you, but I don't like you, and I don't believe you," she finished.

"Fine, have fun in your little room, but you tell your mother. I'm sure by now the bellboy has already safely taken your things into your suite, and she's probably getting all comfy right about now," he expounded, walking back up the stairs.

She ran up to catch him and said, "Fine, Malfoy. I accept your kind offer. Thank you." She held out her hand, as a way to say thanks. He looked at her hand confused. She felt like a fool. She put her hand down and said, "Don't shake my hand. I forgot, I'm a Mudblood, and below you," and she made her way up to the landing. She stood there confused, she didn't know where her new room was.

He walked up to her and poked her on the shoulder. She turned around. "You're still a little twat, aren't you Granger? I do something nice, and then you insult me."

"How did I insult you? You were the one who refused to shake my hand!" she said.

"I was going to shake it," he started.

"What took you so long?" she asked.

"I was shocked that you offered it, that's all," he said truthfully.

"Oh, well, let's start over then," she said, smiling for the first time that day. He thought she had a rather nice smile as well. "Thank you, Malfoy," she said as she offered him her hand.

He took her hand in his, but his eyes never left hers. He held her hand, not really shaking it. Just holding. She was slightly embarrassed, because for some reason she knew she was blushing, and what in the world was with that tingling feeling that she suddenly had pulsing throughout her entire body? She felt a prickly feeling on the back of her neck. She finally took her hand from his and said, "Maybe we'll see you in the dining room later," and she dashed off down the hall, going the wrong way.

"Room six, Granger, that way," he called after her, pointing the other direction.

"Oh, right, thanks!" she called after him, dashing off the correct way.

As soon as she turned the corner, she looked down at her hand, the hand that had just touched Draco Malfoy, for perhaps the first time since she met him fourteen years ago. She grinned. 'Silly girl,' she thought. She was acting like a silly schoolgirl. She blushed again as she thought about the tingling feeling she felt when he held onto her hand. She ran to room six, the one with the view, to get ready for dinner. She hoped she would see him down there.

Draco stood where she left her and he felt foolish. Why did he hold onto her hand for so long? Fourteen years had been good to her. She was prettier than he remembered. She mentioned something about a broken engagement to the man at the front desk. Did that mean she was single? Curious. He just might have to extend his business for a few extra days. He might want to see her again, and not just at dinner. He smiled and walked into his little room with no view, and decided to get ready for dinner. He might see her there after all.

Next Chapter: Dinner with Strangers


	2. 2: Dinner with Strangers

**all characters belong to JKR**

**2 - Dinner with Strangers**

Hermione hurried to her new room and she opened the door and was shocked beyond belief. It was beautiful, magnificent, splendid, and that was just the room. Might the view be just as wonderful? She ran out to the balcony and twirled in delight. It was a view of heaven! Her mother walked out and said, "Wasn't it nice of that Mr. Malfoy to give us his room?"

"Well, it was our room to start with, but yes, it was nice," she said back.

"Dinner is at six o'clock, so you only have a few minutes to get ready, darling," her mother told her, while she put on one of her earrings, and went back into the bedroom. Hermione followed.

"I should wear my red dress, don't you think, Mother?" Hermione said, opening the door to the closest bedroom. Her things were already laid out, including her red dress. She turned and smiled at her mum.

"I thought you would want to wear it, you look so pretty in it," her mother said.

Hermione quickly changed, fixed her makeup, and put on different earrings and shoes. Her mother knocked on her door and said, "Hurry, dear."

Hermione came out of the room, looking at her dress. She was smoothing it down in the front and she said, "Do I look alright?"

"You look very nice, in fact," said a masculine voice.

Hermione jerked her head up and Draco was standing in their room. "What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"I thought I would escort you two women down to the dining room," he explained.

Hermione walked up to her mother and said in a low voice, "Honestly, Mother, I could have walked out in my underwear!'

Draco overheard and said, "I'm sure you would have looked lovely in your underwear also."

She gave him an annoyed glare, and her mother laughed. "Shall we, ladies?" Draco asked, heading toward the door. He opened their door, and Hermione's mother walked out first. Hermione started out, and Draco put his hand on the small of her back to usher her into the hall. She was very aware of his hand. He kept it there until they were in the hallway, and then he shut their door. He offered his arms to the women, and Hermione's mother gladly accepted. Hermione said, "I can walk without assistance," and started down the stairs.

"Your loss, dear," her mother laughed. So did Draco. When they reached the bottom step, Hermione was standing waiting for them. She turned to start down the hallway, and tripped on the rug and actually landed on her knees. Her mother gasped and Draco rushed up to help her stand.

"Apparently you can't walk without assistance," he said in her ear. She glared at him again and he laughed and said, "Are you going to glare at me all night? Where are all your witty comebacks?"

"I'm saving them for someone who cares," she retorted, allowing him to help her stand. He put one hand under her elbow and his other hand in hers. Even after she was standing, he held her hand, for a few moments. She felt the blush come back to her cheeks, and she turned her head away from his, so he wouldn't see.

They entered the dining room of the small establishment, and saw that there was only one large table. They would eat family style, or communal style. Draco held out a chair for Hermione's mother next to the far end of the table. He sat at the other end. Hermione took the only other empty seat, which was to Draco's right.

An elderly lady at the opposite end said, "My name is Miss Marsh, and this is my sister, Mrs. Lawrence. Over there is Professor Cummings, and to his left are Major Appleton and his wife Marjorie. To my left are the young Marilyn Ward and her brother Noah. Across from them is Harold Hand, so that takes care of all of us. Now, who do we have here?"

Hermione's mother spoke first, "My name is Margaret Granger, and at the end is my daughter Hermione, and next to her is her friend, Draco Malfoy."

Hermione rolled her eyes. Her mother made it seem like Draco and she were together.

The waiters started serving their dinner and the young man next to Hermione said, "I think I remember you, from Hogwarts. I was in my first year when you were in your sixth."

"You make me feel so old," Hermione laughed.

He smiled and said, "You don't look old. My sister just graduated this spring, and this is her graduation present, a trip across Europe. Out parents couldn't come, so I'm her chaperon." Hermione leaned in front of the young man, and shook the young girl's hand.

The man across from Hermione had not taken his eyes off her since she sat down, a fact she hadn't noticed, but which Draco was terribly aware. "So, Miss Granger is it?" Harold Hand asked.

"Yes," Hermione answered.

"What do you do, Miss Granger?" he asked, almost bored.

"I work in a museum, in London. It's the only known Wizardry Museum in all of Great Britain. I'm the junior curator," she answered.

Miss Marsh, from the end of the table, said, "How wonderful! I love that Museum. We are major benefactors, aren't we sister?" she said to her sister.

"Tell me, does Mr. Dodds still work there?" her sister, Mrs. Lawrence asked.

"Yes, he's my boss. He's the curator. He's a wonderful man," Hermione gushed.

"I adore him too," the elderly lady said.

During dinner, Draco leaned toward Hermione and said, "You seem to be enjoying your dinner."

"Yes it's very good," she said.

"Did you realize you ate my roll as well as your own?" he laughed.

"Oh my, I'm sorry," she smiled, "You should have told me."

"Well, you looked like you were enjoying it, so I decided to let you have it. You seem to be enjoying your entire meal," he said.

She frowned and said, "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean you seem well nourished," he said with a smirk.

"Are you calling me fat?" Hermione asked.

"No, I'm calling you well nourished," he begged to differ. She glared once more and he said, "There goes that glare again."

Mrs. Appleton said, "So, how long have you two been dating?" Hermione didn't even look up, for she didn't think she was referring to her, until Draco kicked her in the shin.

"What?" she asked him.

"Mrs. Appleton asked you a question, sweetheart," Draco dripped with false sweetness.

"Don't call me sweetheart, and I'm sorry Mrs. Appleton, I don't think I heard you," she said.

Before the woman could ask again, Draco decided to answer. "We went to school together, and it's been an on and off thing since school."

"Oh, how nice," the woman asked.

Hermione leaned toward him and said softly, "I really didn't hear her, what did she ask?"

"She asked how long we've known each other," Draco lied.

"Why did you say it's been on and off since school?" Hermione wondered.

"Did I say that? I just meant to say we've known each other since school," he lied again.

Hermione wasn't sure that's what he meant, but she wouldn't worry for now. The group finished their meal and the Professor suggested they all go out to the veranda for cocktails. Hermione was the last to leave the table. As she was crossing the dining room, to go to the lobby, she decided to visit the lady's room. She had just finished and had walked out when Mr. Hand was standing practically in front of the restroom door.

"Oh, Mr. Hand, you startled me," Hermione said, putting her hand up to her chest.

He said, "I just thought I would escort you out to the patio. I only hope your boyfriend won't care."

"My boyfriend?" she inquired. What did he mean?

"That Malfoy chap," he stated, fixing his glasses on his nose.

"Goodness, Draco Malfoy is not my boyfriend. I hadn't even seen him in seven years before tonight," she laughed.

"Well, that's good news for me," he said, offering her his arm. She accepted and headed outside.

It was a warm, balmy evening. Hermione walked over toward her mother, who was deep in conversation with Professor Cummings. She decided to leave them alone, so she walked over to the young brother and sister. Mr. Hand walked up to her again and handed her a glass of white wine. "I hope you like white wine," he said, "I always think of that as a woman's drink," he said almost condescending.

"A woman's drink"? Hermione asked, needing clarification.

"Well, women have fainter constitutions than men. They can't usually handle harder liquor. Therefore, white wine is more up their alley. It's lighter, less robust," he tried to explain.

Hermione was frowning. Noah Ward laughed and said, "Mr. Hand, you are a wizard, correct?"

"Well, of course young Master Ward. Why would you ask that?" he inquired.

"This is Hermione Granger. She's Harry Potter's friend. You do know who Harry Potter is, don't you?" the younger man asked, still with laughing.

"Of course I know who Harry Potter is, but I'm still not familiar with Miss Granger," he said.

Marilyn Ward said, "Well, you should be, she helped Harry Potter in his battle against the dark lord. So what my brother is trying to say is that Miss Granger's constitution is as strong as any male, and she might like something else to drink."

Draco heard the entire exchange, and saw Hermione was still frowning. He walked up to her and handed her a glass of red wine. "Here, Granger, have some red wine. After all, we're in Italy, home of the vineyard," Draco said. She took the wine from him and turned to leave.

Mr. Hand said, "I didn't mean to insult you, Miss Granger." She acted as if she didn't hear. She headed toward the other side of the veranda, where there was a balcony built right along the rocks. The view from this balcony was a duplicate of the one from her room, since they faced the same direction.

Draco came up next to her and she said, "What an arrogant man. Seriously, women are not weaker than men."

"At least you aren't, I can testify to that. My face can testify to that. It knows first hand how strong you are," he said, touching his own cheek.

She didn't understand at first and then she remembered when she slapped him in third year and said, "Oh yes, I did show you my brute strength once, didn't I?"

"Well, you were young, and I was rude, so there you are," he dismissed, taking a drink of his wine. He added, "And you weren't totally responsible. After all, it all about breeding and upbringing," as soon as he said it, he realized he sounded as stupid as that obtuse Mr. Hand did, when he was actually trying to make a joke. He was about to rectify the situation, to try to clarify what he meant, but as soon as he turned toward her she threw her wine in his face.

He shook his head, wiped his eyes and said, "At least you didn't slap me this time." She marched over to her mother, told her goodnight, issued apologizes to the crowd, and went up to go to bed.

She lay in bed for hours, just thinking. That damn Malfoy! He was still the biggest prat she knew. She tossed and turned. She heard the suite door open. She looked at the clock. It was after midnight. Her mother had a good time at least.

She still couldn't sleep, so she put on her white silk robe and went down to the lobby, to see if she could find a book to read. Her mother refused to let her bring one. She even hid one in her suitcase, but her mother discovered it and threw it out. She contemplated hiding one by magic, but knew her mother would see her reading.

She was walking around the lobby, when she saw Draco Malfoy's blond head on the back of a chair in front of the fireplace. He had a glass of brandy in his hand. She walked up to him and said, "Malfoy, may I speak with you?"

Without turning to look at her, he said, "Show me your hands first, I want to make sure they're empty." He leaned forward in his chair, and she held out her hands. He smiled and said, "Have a seat,"

She sat down in the chair opposite his and said, "I apologize for throwing that drink in your face. It was incredibly juvenile of me. It's just that I was transported back to my childhood, and it was like you were calling me a Mudblood all over again." She looked down at her hands in her lap.

He said, "Listen, Granger. I'm the one who should apologize. I meant it at first as a joke, but it didn't come out right, and I knew as soon as it left my mouth that it sounded mean, and so I apologize. I don't use that word anymore, by the way. Mudblood. So, do you accept my apology?" He leaned forward in his seat.

"Yes, I accept yours, and I'll take mine back," she laughed.

"You can't take back an apology. Once it is issued, it's too late to take back," he said with a smile.

"But, you never accepted it, so I am well within my rights to take it back," she reasoned.

"That makes no sense, and I accepted it in my heart, so you can't take it back," he said, trying to sound sincere.

"In your heart?" She laughed aloud. At him. "Do you have a heart?" she added.

"Now you should apologize," he surmised.

She stood up and said, "I do apologize, for I know you have a heart, otherwise you would fall over dead at my feet." She turned and started to leave.

He wanted to tell her to come back. He wanted to talk to her some more. He stood up and started up the stairs just as she did. They reached the landing and he said, "Well, my little tiny room without a view is this way, so goodnight."

"Goodnight," she agreed, and started down the hall. She turned around and said, "Malfoy, are you coming along on the outing to the vineyard tomorrow?" He was going, for the vineyard was his sole purpose for being here.

"If you're going, I might go," he said lightly, not letting on that _of course_ he was going.

"I'm going," she stated.

"Then so am I," he returned.

"See you tomorrow, and pleasant dreams," she said, turning around to walk toward her room. He stood still and watched her go. As soon as she was safely in her room, he walked to his door. He went in the little room and shut the door. He thought to himself that she wasn't the same girl named Granger that he once knew, and that was a good thing, for he never really cared for _that_ Granger very much, but this one, he could get to like, quite a bit.

Coming Up: A Trip to the Vineyards


	3. 3: A Trip to the Vineyard

**all characters belong to JKR**

**3 - A Trip to the Vineyards:**

The next day was as pretty of a day that Draco Malfoy had even seen, even if he didn't have a view. He was looking at something else. He was sitting in the exact same spot as he did last night at dinner, and next to the exact same person. In other words, he thought he had a beautiful view.

"Malfoy, pass the jam, please," Hermione asked.

He passed the jam and Mrs. Appleton said, "Why do you call him by his last name?" She was still under the assumption that they were a couple.

"That's just what I've always called him, I guess," she explained, turning to look at Malfoy she said, "You don't mind, do you?"

"No," he admitted, "Since I call you Granger, I guess I don't mind."

They all continued to eat when Miss Marsh said, "Now, for those of you who have never been to the vineyard before, you're in for quite a treat. My sister and I travel here every year for holiday, and we never miss a trip to the vineyard."

Miss Marilyn asked, "Where is this vineyard? My brother and I weren't sure we wanted to come."

Mrs. Lawrence said, "Oh, you must come, my dear. It's not far, and it's at a beautiful villa, owned by a wizard. We'll travel by horse drawn carriage. It's only a few miles away."

Marilyn turned to her brother and said, "Shall we go?" and he nodded.

"We're looking forward to it, as you all know, I'm not a witch, but my daughter is enough of a witch for both of us," Mrs. Granger said, with a laugh.

Malfoy snickered and said to Hermione, "Now I think your mother was calling you fat, Granger."

Hermione leaned over and said, "You know what she meant. Don't laugh at her."

Draco leaned over and said, "I wasn't laughing at her, I was laughing at her misnomer."

"That's laughing at her, and no one laughs at my mother," Hermione said, her dander up. She wasn't joking. She would not let anyone laugh at her mother.

"I'll actually laugh at whomever and whatever I want," Draco pointed out, taking a piece of her toast.

"That's my toast," she said.

"It's payment for you taking my roll last night, anyway, you're enough of a witch, haven't you heard?" he said with a grin.

She glared. She was becoming good at glaring at him.

After breakfast, four horse-drawn carriages came up to the hotel. Miss Marsh, anointing herself director of this show, told everyone where to sit. "Let's see, my sister and me, along with young Miss Marilyn will take a carriage, Professor Cummings and Mrs. Granger, along with Master Noah, shall take one, Major Appleton and His wife with Mr. Hand I should think, and that would leave Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger, bringing up the rear."

"You're bringing up the rear," Draco whispered in her ear.

"Shut up," she said almost politely. "Do me a favour and ride with someone else."

Mr. Hand said, "I think I will go with Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy," and as Hermione was stepping into the carriage, he stepped in the other side. Malfoy saw this and decided to have fun at Hermione's expense.

"Well, if Mr. Hand is taking my spot, and Miss Granger wants me to go in another carriage anyway, I'll take his place with the Appletons," and he shut the carriage door and walked up to the next carriage.

Hermione was angry. She didn't want to be with Mr. Hand all by herself. He was such a bore.

They started their carriage ride, and she found out that not only was he a terrible bore, and a sexist pig, but he was a bit randy as well. He put his hand on her knee at one point, and at another point, he put his arm around her. They were traveling down a little dirt lane, with golden vineyards all around. The lane was lined with low-lying trees, and she would be thoroughly enjoying herself, if it wasn't for the fact that Mr. Hand (or just 'Hands' as she had decided to call him, now had his hand on her wrist), seemed determined to try to hold her hand, which she kept in a fist.

"Mr. Hand, please let go of my wrist," she said.

"My dear girl, you should be honoured that I would want to show you affection, after all, you are a woman of a certain age, single, unattached, and I am quite a find."

"I know I find you something, all right," she mumbled. "You, up there," she said to the driver, "Let me out; I'll walk the rest of the way." He stopped the carriage and she stepped down to the ground. Mr. Hand started to leave the carriage as well and she said, "Please, I want to walk alone."

Malfoy and the Appletons had stopped their carriage, to look at the countryside, when the carriage that was behind soon passed them. Mrs. Appleton said, "I wonder what happened to Miss Granger. Mr. Hand was alone in the carriage."

A short while later Hermione was coming to a gate. It had to be the gate to the vineyard. She decided to stop and rest. A couple of kilometers in a carriage were an easy jaunt. A couple of on foot were tiring. She would apparate, but she wasn't exactly sure where the vineyard was. She stopped and rested next to a wooden fence, leaning up against the top railing. She removed her sandals for a moment, and that was when he, being Draco Malfoy, decided to strike.

He jumped down out of a tree right next to the gate and she let out a scream.

"Goodness, Malfoy, you scared the living daylights out of me," she said holding her chest. He laughed and took her shoes from her hand.

"These aren't very sensible walking shoes," he stated the obvious.

"Well, I didn't know I would be walking," she said back.

"Why are you walking?" he asked her, giving her shoes back. She put her hand on his shoulder to steady herself, to slip her shoes back on her feet. He looked at her hand and then back to her face.

"Mr. Hand, or as I now call him, just plain 'Hands' was getting fresh with me," she said.

"Well, you shouldn't take that, Granger. You made your point last night that you weren't your average run of the mill storybook princess. Beat the man up or something. Hex him, string him up, roast him over an open flame," Draco said.

"That's a little extreme," she laughed, and then said, "Why aren't you in your carriage?"

"I got out to wait for you," he said truthfully. She could tell he was being truthful, and she didn't know what to make of that.

They started walking down the lane and he said, "So, you said something about a broken engagement, who were you engaged to and why did it end?"

She didn't remember telling him about her broken engagement. "How did you know?" she asked.

He had overheard her tell the desk clerk last evening. He decided not to tell her that. "You told me last night," he said.

"I don't think I did, but it really doesn't matter, because it's of no real consequence, we were engaged, and now we aren't," she stated.

"Who broke the engagement?" he asked.

"I don't see that's relevant," she said, quickening her pace down the dirt lane.

"Oh, I see, he dumped you," he assumed.

"No, actually, I dumped him, alright?" she said, looking embarrassed.

Draco had a sudden thought, "Lord, tell me it wasn't Weaslebee, was it?"

Hermione laughed and said, "No that was a long time ago. I mean, we were engaged, but it ended years ago."

"How many times have you been engaged?" he asked, very amused.

"Three," she answered unabashed.

"THREE!" he shouted. He laughed and stopped walking. "What's wrong with you?"

"Why do you assume something's wrong with me? I'll have you know that I ended all three engagements, thank you," she answered.

"I'm not sure that sounds any better," he admitted, "but for the record, why did you end the three engagements?"

"Well, I just think if you're going to marry someone, you should be able to picture yourself with them for the rest of your life, and I couldn't do that," she said, turning red with embarrassment. She stopped walking altogether.

He stopped as well and walked up to her, "Why did you say 'yes' three times?"

"Because I thought my feelings would change, but they didn't," she said softly, looking into his grey eyes.

He took another step toward her and said, "It took you three times to finally figure out that you should be madly in love with a chap before you marry them?"

"Three times a charm," she said, with a crooked smile.

He smiled back and said, "Well, good for you. Next time you won't say yes unless you know for sure you love him. See, you've learned your lesson." He resumed walking. She was still standing there.

"I hope I did," she said to herself, but he still heard her.

He stopped walking and said, "Are you coming? Everyone will wonder where we are."

"Yes, I'm coming," she said as she ran to catch up with him.

They passed field after field of gold and green grapevines. The sun was bright and almost orange. Even the sky had a golden hue. Up ahead was a large villa, which closely resembled a painting, and Hermione could see all the carriages out front.

"Who lives here?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," he answered. He actually knew who lived there. He smiled to himself. He was the owner of the villa, at least, as of this morning, when he would sign the final papers.

"Where do you suppose the others are?' she asked, approaching the front of the villa.

"They've probably already started the tour," he said.

"We're too late for the tour, then?" she asked.

"I guess we must be, but maybe we could go in the house and explore." He took her hand and led her in the house. She felt butterflies in her stomach, just from the innocent touch of his hand.

She said, "We can't just roam around someone's house."

"Sure we can, and it doesn't appear anyone's home anyway." He still had her hand and they walked inside. As soon as they entered, he let go of her hand. He was afraid if he didn't let it go now, he might never let it go.

She turned around in a circle, looking at the opulent foyer and grand staircase and said, "This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Don't you agree?" She looked over at him.

He was looking right at her and he said, "Yes, the most beautiful by far." Of course, he didn't mean the villa.

He smiled and walked up to her with a serious look on his face. She was slightly embarrassed, and she didn't know why so she smiled sweetly and she said, "I wonder what's through those doors?"

"Let's go find out," he said and he took her hand again, and opened a set of wooden doors.

Coming up: A Painting and a Promise


	4. 4: A Painting and A Promise

**all characters belong to JKR**

**4 - A Painting and A Promise**

Draco opened the doors to reveal an open, beautiful lounge, with ceilings that seemed to touch the sky, olivewood floors, white couches and chairs, a white grand piano, and floor to ceiling windows, which made the outside seem to be an extension of the grand room.

Hermione took a deep breath inward and her hands went out in front of her, "Oh, Malfoy, this room is beautiful and look at all this artwork and these sculptures." She was roaming the room, examining every piece. When she got to the far wall, where the piano was, she saw a beautiful painting depicting an Italian vineyard, much like the one they were in, and a brilliant orange sunset. The masterpiece was so alive, that Hermione felt she was standing in the actual canvas, and the picture was all around her. She took a step closer, and reached out to touch the painting, only to bring her hand back toward her chest quickly as she turned around.

"Malfoy," she gasped. He came up to her with a bored expression, although he knew why she was in awe. "This is a painting by Milo Artemis, the famous 19th century Italian Painter. He was a Wizard, and his artwork is collected by Wizards and Muggles alike!" She turned back toward the painting after she told him that.

"I've heard of him," he said.

"This is amazing. I've only ever seen one other of his paintings in real life, and it's on display at our museum." She was still in awe.

"Yes, it's a pretty picture," he agreed.

"Pretty?" She turned in shock. "It's exquisite! It's, it's well, I'm at a loss for words, and you know how rare that is," she said.

He laughed at her joke and said, "Why don't you take it. No one will know."

"What?' She turned toward him again and actually hit his chest. She started laughing and said, "You're so funny!"

"I'm serious. We could shrink it down and it'll fit right in your purse," he said, going up to the painting and removing it from the wall.

She came up and grabbed his arm. He looked at her hands on his arm. She scolded, "Malfoy, don't even touch it! This painting is worth millions of galleons!"

"So, I'll leave a check mounted on the wall," he said. He took the painting down and she actually screamed as if she was in pain.

"Oh, put it back, put it back!" She started looking around the room, as if they were naughty children, and she was watching for their mummy to come and bust them for doing something bad.

"Lighten up, Granger. No one will know we took it," he said, propping it up against the piano and taking out his wand.

She put her body in front of the precious masterpiece and said, "Please, you're giving me a heart attack. Please, put it back. Please!" She was jumping up and down.

"Do you have to go to the bathroom?" he asked, as if he was serious.

"No, but you'll have to take me to the closest hospital with a coronary thrombosis if you don't put the bloody painting back on the wall, please?" She looked close to tears. She was wringing her hands and she came up to him and put her hands on the front of his shirt. She rested her hands on his chest. She was so close he could smell her perfume. On the other hand, maybe he just smelled her.

"You don't want it?" he asked. He was close to telling her that the painting was soon to be his, but he liked her like this. Well, he didn't want her to worry, but she was touching him, so that had to be worth something.

"I want it, but not by stealing. Please, can we put it back?" She still had her hands on his chest. She looked so pretty.

He put one hand on her shoulder and rubbed her arm up and down and said, "Whatever you say, Granger." He went over to the painting and put it back on the wall.

She walked up to him and put her hand on his back and leaned her head into his shoulder, in relief, and said, "Thank you, Draco."

"Draco?" he asked.

She removed her hand from his back and said, "See, you caused me so much distress that I didn't even know who I was for a moment."

He turned to face her and said, "Who are you?"

"No one of importance, just a simple witch from London, named Hermione, but you can call me Granger," she said with a slight smile. He wanted to kiss her so bad it hurt him inside to deny his need. Before he could act on his impulse, she stepped away and said, "We should go back outside. No more exploring, okay?"

He had to go find the attorney who was handling the paperwork for the house, anyway, so he said, "Why don't you take the path down to the vineyard. The tour might be over by now, and I think they have lunch in store for us all. I need to find the loo."

She turned to leave, took one last look at the painting, then at him, and said, "Will you be out soon?"

She wanted to know if he would be out soon. He wanted to laugh aloud, but he contained his mirth and said, "Sure, as soon as I loot the rest of the house." She waved and walked out of the room. He turned, took the painting off the wall, shrunk it down in size, and put it in his pocket. He wanted to give it to her later.

She went out the front door and followed the stone path that led to the side of the villa. There were two large tables set up and three little women were putting out all sorts of wines, cheeses, breads and pasta. "Hello, you must be Miss Granger. We were told to watch for you. We were getting worried you might have gotten lost," one of the older women said.

"Do you know how much longer the tour will take?" she asked.

"Not much longer, perhaps about twenty minutes. Would you like to try some of our wine? It's from our own vineyard," the younger woman said.

"Sure, that would be grand," Hermione answered. She took some wine, and a piece of bread, slapped a hunk of cheese on it, and decided to take a walk along the gardens at the back of the house. There were all sorts of Mediterranean plants and foliage, many of which were not familiar to her. As she walked farther, she found the back garden to be a sort of maze. She was having fun, walking along the path, seeing where each row led. She heard Draco calling her name.

"I'm over here! Can you find me?" She laughed.

"No, this is like a bloody maze. Hold up your hand!" he yelled.

She didn't hold up her hand. Instead, she ran down another path. She was getting a bit tipsy, and she was feeling uninhibited. She ran freely down the path, calling out, "Catch me if you can, Malfoy!"

He listened for the sounds of her shoes on the cobbled stones and ran in the direction of the sound. "Come out, Granger!" he yelled.

She ran in another direction and said, "You'll never find me!"

He stopped to listen again, but didn't hear a thing. That was because she saw his feet. She stooped down, between two palm looking bushes, and she could see he was standing there. It dawned on her she was running with a glass of wine in her hand. She hurried and drank the last drop and saw his feet move in the other direction. She stood back up, and put her head through the palms, and he grabbed her arm and pulled her on through. She was so shocked that she dropped the wine glass. Before she could scream his mouth came down on hers in an abandoned, wild kiss. She was so taken aback that her arms hung limply at her sides. His hands were on her back, and he was swaying her back and forth. Her arms were swinging with their bodies. He stopped moving and put his hands up to her head, holding tightly to each side. He stopped kissing her for a moment and looked at her intently. Was she there? Yes, she was. She threw her arms around his neck and he put one hand behind her neck and the other on her lower back. Then, she kissed him back.

His lips played with hers, pulling on the bottom lip, licking the top one. He would suck, then lick, then suck, then lick. He had not yet opened her mouth. She went ahead and decided to do him a favour. She opened her mouth widely and he accepted her invitation. They heard laughter in the background and approaching footsteps. The others were returning. She pushed away from him and put her hands up to her mouth. His chest was heaving up and down, and he was breathing very hard, and staring at her intently.

She said, "Oh my goodness, what did we just do?" She turned and rushed around toward the opposite direction of the oncoming crowd.

Just then, Draco saw Hermione's mother and she said, "Draco, please tell me Hermione's with you. It was hard for me to enjoy the tour, because I was so worried about her.

"Yes, she was with me," he said, half dazed.

Miss Marsh said, "Well, we must go enjoy our feast now! This way everyone," the older witch instructed, as the happy group followed her up the garden path toward the tables laden with wine and food.

Draco didn't know whether to join the group, or look for her. He decided to look for her. He ran in the direction that she had just gone. He had to find her, to find out what she thought about what had just happened. He had to make sure she didn't think it was a mistake. He didn't think so. 'Please, Granger, don't regret what happened,' he thought as he ran down the trail, looking for her.

He found her on a little stone bench, near a beautiful tiled fountain. He did not even know it existed. He bought a villa that he had never seen before and he decided it was a nice place, after all.

She could tell he was approaching, for her body became stiff and rigid. She didn't look at him yet, but she knew it was he. She said, "So, have the others finished with the tour?"

"Yes."

"Was my mother worried about me?"

"Yes."

"Did they have a nice time?"

How they hell would he know? "Yes."

"Did you end up buying this place?"

How the hell did she know? "Yes."

"Did we just kiss?"

Finally, she was getting to the point. "Yes."

"Was it weird for you?" she asked, looking at her feet. Her sandals were slipped off and pushed under the bench.

He walked up to her and stood by the bench. He looked right at her as she continued to look at the ground.

"No."

"Do you regret it?" She finally looked up.

"Scoot over, you're hogging the bench," he said. She did as requested and he sat down beside her. "Do you regret it?" he inquired of her, for that was really the important question.

"I asked you first." She looked right into his eyes. They were sitting side by side, arms touching, legs touching. Even her bare foot was next to his shoe.

"I promise you one thing, Granger; I never regret anything I do, ever. It makes for an easy, carefree life," he said.

"Was kissing me easy and carefree?" she asked, looking down again.

"If you're asking me if it was unimportant, then say what you mean," he said plainly.

"It doesn't matter." She smiled faintly and went to stand. She bent down and grabbed her shoes. She put her hand on his shoulder once again, to steady herself as she placed first one shoe on, then the other.

"Does it really not matter?" he asked as she removed her hand.

"I don't know what I'm saying. I think I drank too much wine, and it's so bloody hot out here," she said, smiling down at him. He stood up and took her hand.

He said, "You never answered my question. Do you regret it?"

She put her free hand on his chest, as she did before, as he held onto the other, and said, "Gee, Malfoy, I thought you knew me better than that, after all these years. You should know by now that I never regret anything I do, either."

She laughed, removed her hand from his and started running back down the path. She looked back at him once, and he held her gaze for a few seconds. The sun danced in her hair, and her eyes twinkled with either desire or too much wine. He didn't care which it was. She turned back around and continued to run without a care in the world. He walked after her, deciding that his choice to take a little trip to Italy to buy a vineyard was turning out to be the best decision of his entire life.

Coming up: Perchance to Dream


	5. 5: Perchance to Dream

**all characters belong to JKR**

**5 - Perchance to Dream:**

Hermione sat at the long table at the villa, with her shoes off once again, and a glass of wine in her hand. The sun was hiding as evening neared. The whole horizon gleamed orange and yellow, red and gold. She never even dreamed she could feel so content, so happy, so relax, just one day into her holiday.

Was it the scenic countryside? The wine? The company? She smiled to herself. Her companions had all gone. The only ones remaining were her mother, the Professor, and Draco Malfoy.

Her mother came up to her and said, "Everyone else has left to go back to the hotel. Perhaps we should go as well. I'm very tired and we have a big day tomorrow." There was only one carriage left so Hermione had to leave with her mother or be left behind. She nodded to her mum and bent down to pick up her shoes. She carried them in her hand and walked over to where Malfoy stood, leaning up against the low wall of the veranda, looking out upon his vineyard.

She came up beside him and leaned on the low wall, mimicking his body. Her arms supported her weight as she looked out over the landscape. She dropped her shoes beside the wall and her pinky from her left hand touched the pinky from his right. He looked over at her. She continued to stare out at the scenic view. She said, "So, Malfoy, now that you own this place, are you staying here tonight, or are you coming back to the hotel, because the last carriage is ready to leave with or without you." She turned and smiled.

"I only bought this place as an investment. I don't intend to live here. I doubt I'll ever come and stay," he said truthfully.

She shook her head in disbelief. She turned her body to look at him, and this time he mimicked her, and turned to look at her.

"How can you say that?" She held her arms out. "This place is so beautiful. If I bought this place, I would never leave," she said almost as if she was shocked at his admission.

"Yes, you're almost already like a local. You can't seem to keep your shoes on your feet, and you're half pissed." He laughed and bent down to pick up her shoes.

"I hope I don't have a hangover tomorrow," she said in all seriousness, "because we're taking the tour of the art museum in the morning, and going to the opera in the evening."

"How exciting for you," he joked. "An art museum, you say?"

She leaned close to him, looked up in his eyes, and said, "And the opera, don't forget."

"Do you like the opera, Granger?" he asked, bemused at her tipsy behavior.

"Truthfully?" she asked.

"Nothing but," he countered.

"I suppose it makes me a lowlife, but I think opera is boring," she said, swaying slightly.

"I do too, Granger," he said laughing.

Hermione's mother approached the pair and said, "Are you coming, Draco?"

"Yes, Mrs. Granger, we're coming," he corrected her, to include Hermione in his answer. He took Hermione's shoes in one hand, her hand in the other, and said, "Where did you leave your purse?"

"By the wine bottle," she said.

"But of course. That doesn't really help me, however, since there are about 25 wine bottles littered around the veranda," he told her. Hermione's mother held up Hermione's purse, to show Draco that she had it. He escorted her to the carriage. Mrs. Granger and Professor Cummings entered first and sat on one side. Draco put his hands around Hermione's waist and helped her step up into the carriage. He came in and sat beside her.

"Do you want your shoes?" he asked.

"You can keep them," she said, not making sense. Mrs. Granger laughed, took the shoes from Draco, and put them in Hermione's bag. Soon, Mrs. Granger and her new friend the Professor were in a lively conversation about something or other. Draco wasn't even aware of what they were discussing. His sole concentration was on the woman beside him.

Hermione leaned against him, and put her head on his shoulder. She said, "It's chilly now that the sun has said goodnight."

He took that as a sign that he should put his arm around her shoulder. Merely to keep her warm. A mere act of kindness. When she didn't protest, he took one of her hand in his free hand. There they sat, in a carriage, with his arm around her shoulders, and one of her hands in his. Their intertwined hands lay gently in her lap. He thought this was the nicest moment of the whole day, even better than the kiss, if that was possible.

Hermione's mother looked over and saw the pair and she was happy. She wanted nothing but the best for her daughter, and something in her heart told her that would be Draco Malfoy.

Mrs. Granger said, "So, Draco, now that your business is complete, I suppose you'll be leaving? Hermione said when you traded rooms with us that it was because you were only staying a couple of days, to conduct business."

Hermione, who previous to this interaction between her mother and Draco, had her eyes closed, was now wide awake and turned to look at him, to hear his answer. She hadn't even thought of that. She hadn't thought that this might just be a one day interlude, and that come tomorrow it might all end.

He apparently hadn't thought that far ahead either. He looked down at Hermione, who had let go of his hand and was leaning over to get her shoes out of her purse. He said, quite convincing he thought, "My business, sadly, is not yet complete. I still have some more papers to sign, and the solicitor isn't available to finish our transaction until Thursday, so it appears I'll be here at least until then." No one needed to know he was lying. It was Monday. That gave him three more days with her. He asked, "How long is your vacation, Mrs. Granger?"

"We'll be here until Saturday, and then we're taking a week long cruise of the Mediterranean, and after that its home, I'm afraid," Mrs. Granger answered. "But you know, I feel terrible now, taking your room from you for that long. We should trade back."

"I wouldn't dream of it. It was your room to start," he said. He noticed Hermione was looking out the side of the carriage while putting on her shoes.

"You know, it's a large suite. Hermione and I could share one of the rooms, and you could have the other. They both have private baths. We wouldn't even have to see each other if we didn't want to," Mrs. Granger suggested.

Hermione couldn't believe her mother would suggest such a thing! What must Malfoy think? He probably thought she was a low class Muggle for even entertaining such a notion. She looked at her mother and then at Draco. Draco was looking directly at her. She turned her head in embarrassment. She was shocked when he said, "That's so nice of you. I think I'll take you up on the offer. That little room is smaller than my closet at home, and I feel uncomfortable sharing the bathroom with the young Miss Marilyn."

"Then it's all settled," Hermione's mother said, turning her attentions back to Professor Cummings.

Hermione still had her head turned toward the side, and she pretended to be watching the countryside, although it was too dark to see anything. Draco leaned over to her, as he could see she was discomforted. He said in hushed tones, "If that's not to your liking, Granger, then I'll tell your mother I've changed my mind."

She looked at him and said, "No, its fine. I think you should stay. Let it be our payment to you for giving us the room back, when you didn't have to do so."

She leaned back against his shoulder and shut her eyes once more. He put his arm back around her body, this time bringing his other arm around the front of her, so she was enveloped in his grasp. Hermione got a tingling feeling in her stomach, which was from either too much wine, or his embrace.

They reached the hotel way too soon for Draco. Hermione's mum leaned forward and touched her daughter's knee. "Darling, wake up. We're back at the hotel."

Hermione opened her eyes and Draco removed his arms. She looked around for her purse, but her mother had already grabbed it, with her own. Her mother and the professor exited the carriage, and then Draco jumped out. She walked up to the door and said, "I am either very tired, or very drunk, because I don't feel like I can even walk straight."

"And you're not even walking yet," he told her, highly amused at her antics.

"Catch me!" she said lightly. He was shocked however when she really jumped the short distance from the carriage into his arms. Good thing he wasn't drunk, or they would have both ending up on the pavement.

He grabbed her waist when she jumped and placed her bare feet on the ground. "Didn't you put your shoes back on?" he asked as the carriage started driving away.

"Oh no, my shoes, I slipped them back off," she said, as she started to run toward the direction the horse-drawn carriage was heading. Draco ran also, but only to catch her arm.

"Are they your only pair?" he asked.

"No, of course they aren't. I'm not poor. I do own more than one pair of shoes," she stated.

"Then leave them," he reasoned.

"But they were my favourite pair, and they were so cute, and I loved them," she rambled.

"Yes, I could tell, that's why you kept them on your feet all night," he said in jest. He took her hand and led her toward the hotel doors.

She reached out with her free hand as he pulled her in the doorway, saying quite comically, "Bye, bye shoes."

"You're royally pissed, aren't you, Granger?" he quizzed as they entered the lobby.

"Maybe, but I'm not sure. I'll know tomorrow, so ask me then. If I have a headache in the morning, and I'm in a foul mood, that means I'm drunk tonight," she confessed.

"Does that mean you spent most of our school years inebriated?" he inquired with a raise of one eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" she asked confused.

"You were in a foul mood during most of our days at school," he joked.

"That was only with you, I was very pleasant to everyone else," she said, truthfully.

They started up the stairs, side by side. When they reached the landing he said, "Tell your mum that I'll stay in the little room tonight, since it's so late."

"Do you want me to walk you to your room?" she questioned.

"Why, do you think I won't make it by myself?" he grinned.

"No, that's not it. I wanted to give you a good night kiss," she said with an impish grin back at him.

"Well, then, by all means, after you," he said, holding out his hand to her. She took his hand and started down the hallway to his little room. He wanted to grab her and kiss her and pull her into his little room and have his wild way with her, but he didn't want to take advantage of her somewhat questionable state. Therefore, he turned them around and said, "Let me walk you to your room, instead. I'm not sure you would make it back there by yourself."

"Fine, insult my sobriety," she said. They walked to the double doors that led to her suite.

"Are you coming on the tour of the Museum tomorrow? Mother and I thought we would examine some of the little shops in the afternoon with some of the others, before coming back for dinner," she stated.

"Don't forget the opera in the evening," he said, scratching the side of his face.

She laughed and said, "I wish I could."

"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow for the tour, and the shopping, and I might be persuaded to be your escort to the opera," he added.

"Thank goodness," she chimed in, "For Mr. Hand wanted to be my escort, and I would rather lose all my shoes than be escorted by that dreadful man."

"Isn't that sweet, Granger has an admirer," he said, pulling her up to him by her wrist.

"No, don't say that, he doesn't admire me," she said, taking her wrist from his hand and placing her hands on his chest.

"I wasn't talking about him," he said. He brought his lips down and tasted hers. She tasted sweet, like the red wine she had been drinking all afternoon. If he kept kissing her, he would get drunk from her lips, and not because of the wine. He kept this kiss chaste. It was long enough, but not an exploration, like the kiss from earlier.

She pulled away from him and put one hand on his cheek. She said, "Isn't that sweet? Malfoy has a crush on me." She turned and opened the door and walked in the suite. Before she shut the door, she waved her hand and said goodbye. She shut the door and stood on the other side, leaning her body against the door, facing the wooden panels. He leaned his body against the other side, with his hands firmly against the wood. He didn't know that all that separated them was a two inch piece of wood. In his perspective, nothing great or small would separate him from what he wanted. He was a man of great means, and greater aspirations, he couldn't remember a time in his life when he didn't get something he truly wanted, and he just decided he wanted a girl named Granger.

He pushed himself away from the door, and walked down to his little room without a view, knowing that no view from any know window could match the beauty that he knew was on the other side of that door.

Coming up: Coffee, Tea or Me?


	6. 6: Coffee, Tea or Me?

**all characters belong to JKR**

**6 - Coffee, Tea or Me?**

Draco woke earlier than usual, and then he showered and changed. He saw Mrs. Granger before he went down to breakfast. He asked her if he might go ahead and put his things in the suite. She told him that she already had the maid get one of the rooms ready for him. She said she was going down to breakfast, but that he should go on to the room.

He took his luggage to the room. He opened the suite's doors and stood in the lounge, looking at one side of the room, and then over to the other side. Mrs. Granger didn't tell him which room was his. He put his suitcases down and went to the room on the left. Hermione came out of the room on the right the other night, so he assumed she was still in that room. He was wrong.

He opened the door to the left and saw her sleeping on one of the double beds, lying on her stomach. Her hair was fanned out around the pillow. It was a warm evening last night, so she slept without covers. She had on a simple ivory silk gown. With her on her stomach, he could see the roundness of her bum and her silky tanned legs.

He went to leave, if he stayed he might be tempted to touch her or something, but as he reached the door, he heard her stir. She turned around and was now on her back, with one hand up on the pillow next to her head, and the other across her abdomen. On her back, she looked even more beautiful, if that was possible. The gown had thin straps, one of which was down on her shoulder. It had a deep plunging neckline, and he could see plenty of her ample bosoms. He could even make out her nipples, as the material was that thin.

He felt like a voyeur, a pervert, for staring at her, but he couldn't look away. He wanted to get closer. He took two steps closer, and then two more. He could actually reach out and touch her if he wanted. He wanted. He reached down and touched her arm. His fingertips traveled the length of her well-toned arm, down and then back up. She still slept.

He didn't know what possessed him, but he sat beside her on the bed. He was just about to reach out and touch her again when he heard the suite's doors opening. He jumped up and at that moment, and she woke up. At least he was off her bed when she woke up.

She didn't see him, however, or so he thought. She sat up and put her feet on the other side of the bed. He couldn't believe it. He was standing right there and she seemed to not even notice! She padded across the room, heading toward the bathroom, and she said, "Draco, stop leering at me and be a dear and grab me a cup of coffee," and she shut the bathroom door. 'Why that evil little thing', Draco thought.

He walked out of the room to see Mrs. Granger. She said, "That's our room."

"So I discovered," he said, sure that his face was red. "I'm going down to get your daughter some coffee," he told her.

"No, make her come down herself. In fact, you go on down and we'll both be down shortly," she said.

He did as instructed. He didn't really want to see Granger at that moment, anyway, as he was more than embarrassed at being caught staring at her in her room while she was asleep. However, she didn't seem the least put out by it. He was completely nonplused.

As soon as Hermione entered her bathroom, she put her hands up to her face. She was appalled that he saw her asleep. He must have come in, thinking this was his room. She tried to act nonchalant, but she wasn't sure she pulled it off. She looked down at her nightgown and thought, 'at least I have a nice nightgown on'.

She took a shower and came out of the bedroom. She did have a slight headache, so she must have been a bit tipsy last night, although she remembered everything she did and said. Everything they both did and said. She took a headache potion, and came out of the room. She had on a white cotton top, and a flowing printed muslin skirt. Her brown sandals were on her feet, since her gold ones were lost, and she put her hair back in a ponytail.

She entered the dining room to find everyone sitting in the same places as their previous meals. She took her place next to Draco. Mrs. Lawrence said, "The hotel clerk said that you moved into the suite with the Grangers, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco thought it wasn't everyone's business, but as this was such a small establishment, people would find out sooner or later. He said, "Yes, the other room was too small, and Mrs. Granger offered, so I accepted. Also, we had a little embarrassing encounter in the bathroom this morning, didn't we Marilyn?" he said, looking at the young girl.

She blushed, turned a bright red, and her brother asked, "What happened?"

"Oh, I didn't walk in on her or anything, so don't worry Noah," Draco told the young man.

"No, it was the other way around, I walked in on him as he was shaving, in only a towel," she blanched and everybody at the table laughed.

"He's a fine looking young man, so I'm sure it wasn't that bad," Miss Marsh said from the head of the table.

"Yes, he's not too hard on the eyes," Mrs. Appleton agreed.

"But he's old," Marilyn blurted out, and then she seemed even more embarrassed, putting her hands over her mouth.

Draco dropped his fork as Hermione died with laughter next to him. He said, "I'm not that old!" and he turned to Hermione and said, "Stop laughing, Granger, we're the same age!"

"Actually, I'm almost a year older, if I recall," she pointed out, as her laughter began to cease.

"I would never have guessed that you two were the same age," Mr. Hand said, "I thought Miss Granger was at least five years old than Mr. Malfoy."

Now Draco snickered. Hermione stopped laughing and gave Mr. Hand a dirty look. He was just being rude, because she stopped his advances yesterday. She said, "Well, Mr. Hand, anyone with half a brain would have realized that Draco and I were the same age, since we said we went to school together." She huffed and took a big bite of her breakfast.

"I think you seem much younger than Draco," Noah said. He smiled at her and she smiled back. Draco would have been slightly put out, but the young man was merely defending her honour to Mr. Hand, which was something he should have done.

"So, who's coming to the art museum?" Mrs. Granger asked, to change the subject. Everyone agreed to go. Miss Marsh took it upon herself to be director again. She told everyone the tour bus would be at the hotel by 10:00 am, and that everyone should bring a sweater, as it was chilly in the museum. She told them it was a Muggle museum, so no magic allowed, (Hermione actually rolled her eyes) and then told them that lunch would be provided for them at a corner café, as part of the admission price to the museum.

Hermione stood and said to Draco, "We have an hour until the museum, do you fancy a walk?"

He stood also and said, "Are you asking me on a date?"

She grinned and said, "Do you think it would be forward of me if I was?"

"No," he claimed, "I would think it was cheap of you, to try to pass off a simple walk as a bona fide date."

"Fine, I'll walk alone, although I'm sure I'll be lonely," she said, leaving through the front doors.

"Wait up," he shouted, running up to her.

"You might not want to run, someone your age might break their hip," she said jokingly.

"Can you believe she said I was old?" he asked.

"She's seventeen. You're 27. That's old to her," she said plainly.

They walked along the cobbled stone streets, stopping to look at the interesting architect, and at the quaint little shops. She said, "This little town almost seems to be 100 years in the past. I could easily get used to this slow paced lifestyle."

"You would get bored in ten minutes," he deduced.

"No, I really wouldn't," she said back.

"Sorry about coming into your room this morning. I didn't know which room was mine," he said, looking in a shop window.

She stood beside him and her reflection looked at his. "That's okay; it was only for a few seconds, right? And it's not like I was sleeping in the nude or something."

"Yes, more the pity," he laughed.

They both continued their stroll. He wanted to hold her hand, but she had both of her hands behind her back. He decided to go for it anyway. He reached behind her back and took one of her hands in his. She immediately felt flushed and her mouth became dry. She wasn't tipsy today, so her inhibitions were back. She was tempted to take her hand out of his, but she didn't. She liked it, so why deny a good thing, when you have it right in the palm of your hand, or in this case, holding the palm of your hand.

Draco continued to hold her hand as they walked down the street, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do. He looked at his watch. The tour would be leaving in 15 minutes. Would it be such a bad thing if they missed it? They could be alone today, instead of with the others. If he didn't mention the time, maybe they could accidentally (on purpose) be late getting back to the hotel.

Draco said, "Let's go down this little street, it looks interesting."

"We're getting pretty far from the hotel, and it must be almost 10:00 o'clock," Hermione announced. "What time does your watch say?"

He looked at his watch again, and said, "Oh we have time, come on."

He led her down a narrow alleyway. There was a florist on the corner. He said, "Would you like some flowers?"

"You don't ask a girl if she wants flowers, you just buy her flowers," Hermione lectured.

"Fine, turn your back," he said.

She laughed and turned her back from him. He walked over to buy her some flowers, when she suddenly said, "Malfoy, that clock over that building says five minutes 'til ten. What time does your watch say?" She turned back around.

"That's Italian time," Draco said, coming back over with some pink roses and handing them to her.

She took them from him, but paid them no mind. She said, "I'm not an idiot. Italian time? Seriously. Now, what time is it?"

He said, "Five 'til ten."

She grabbed his hand and said, "Come on, we'll be late!" With her flowers in one hand, her purse over her shoulder, and Draco Malfoy's hand in her other hand, she ran as fast as she could, back toward the hotel. He ran beside her, trying to slow her down.

At one point, Draco said, "I think we went the wrong way," even though they hadn't.

"Come on!" She wasn't buying that. They ran through the streets, dodging people and cars. They had almost reached the hotel when the strap to one of her sandals broke and the shoe flew right off her foot.

She came to a halt, and he ran right into her. "That was uncalled for!" she yelled.

"I didn't mean to run into you, but you stopped suddenly, I'm sorry," he apologized.

"No," she said with ire, "I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to my shoe, look," and she walked over to where her shoe landed and held it in her hand.

"Do you always talk to your shoes? First, you told the pair last night goodbye, and now this. Do they talk back? Are you delirious from the heat?" he asked, putting his hand on her forehead.

She removed his hand from her head, but kept it in her hand. "I'm having rotten luck with shoes," she said, ignoring his question.

Just then, the tour bus passed them. Her mother waved at her from one of the windows, calling out, "See you tonight, sweetheart!"

"Bloody hell!" Hermione spat.

"Language, Granger," he warned. He took her shoe from her and said, "You need a new pair of shoes. Let's go shopping, get you some shoes, spend a nice day around town, and then we can go on a private viewing of the museum tonight, while everyone is at the opera," he decided.

"The museum will be closed tonight," she whined.

"Are we wizards, or are we mere Muggles? I doubt a closed Museum, even with alarms and security systems, could keep out a pair of smart, capable, wizards such as you and me, Hermione," he said, brushing back a strand of her hair that had fallen out of her ponytail.

"You called me Hermione," she said, suddenly serious.

"I know," he said, "Isn't that what people call you?"

"Yes, my family and my friends do," she agreed.

"Oh, I see," he said, turning around and walking away from her. She ran after him.

She touched his shoulder and he turned around. "That came out wrong, I'm sorry," she started to explain, "it's just that I like that you call me Granger. I've always liked it, I don't know why, but I do."

He suddenly smiled. He understood. The fact that he called her Granger was their special connection. He liked that, too. "Come on, Granger; let's go get you a new pair of shoes, preferably a pair that will stay on your feet." He took her hand again and they walked back down the street.

Coming up: Anywhere but the Museum


	7. 7: Anywhere but the Museum

**all characters belong to JKR**

**7 - Anywhere but the Museum:**

Hermione stood on the sidewalk with her sandal in her hand and a pout on her face. She said, "I really wanted to go to the museum today. This museum is world renowned for its 15th century Italian tapestries. It has the largest collection of tapestries in all of Italy, not to mention it has the largest collection of Milo Artemis paintings, as this was his birthplace."

"Yes, I know. The villa I bought once belonged to him," he said, without enthusiasm.

She pushed him hard and said, "You're joking!"

He pushed her back, laughed, and said, "No, I'm not."

"Wow," she was shaking her head, "you're so lucky. I thought you were lucky to have bought a house that had one of his paintings in it, but you bought his house!"

Draco thought to himself, 'I must not forget to give her that bloody painting,' because he had indeed forgotten.

Without another word to him, she walked over to a little shop across the street, throwing both her shoes in a trash bin before she entered. As she was entering the shop, he yelled across the street, "What are you doing?"

"I need shoes if we're going to the museum!" she yelled back.

He didn't want to go to the museum. He would have to try another tactic. He ran into the shop as she looked around at the shoes. He said, "Would you really rather go to some boring museum and see some old moth eaten tapestries, when you could spend the day with me?" Usually when he turned on the charm with women, he got his way. He wanted her to feel guilty, then feel sorry for him, and then want to make it up to him.

Instead, she said, "Why can't I do both? Don't you want to go to the museum with me?"

How dare she turn this around! She was so damn logical. He said, "I just thought it would be nice to spend a day alone, instead of with a crowd in some dusty, dark, dirty museum, but if that's what you would rather do, even though I don't want to do that, but if that's what you want, then I guess we can do that." He was trying hard. He was almost whining. He would surely get his way now.

"Thanks, Malfoy," she answered, "I'm so glad you're willing to do that for me, how very sweet." She turned back toward the shoes. Bloody hell, she was good at this, he thought. She was getting her way and he was getting nada, nothing.

She turned and saw his frown and said, "What's wrong, don't you want to be with me? If you don't want the pleasure of my company, you can go back to the hotel; my feelings won't be very hurt."

"When you put it like that, then of course I want to go," he said. Fine, let her win. He was a big enough person to bow to the master.

She went up to pay for her sandals, this time a little red pair with gemstones, and a beautiful silk printed Italian scarf. He took the scarf off the counter and said, "Let me buy this for you."

"No, I'm buying it for my mum, I thought she would like it," she said, taking it from his hands.

Draco noticed that it was very expensive. She paid for her purchases and started out the door. "Hurry, Draco, we need to get to the museum. The tour has probably already started."

He wanted to kill more time, and he wanted to buy her one of those scarves, so the two fitted perfectly together. He said, "Go on out and hail us a taxi, and I'll be right there." He picked out a yellow and red printed scarf, paid for it, and put it in his pocket.

Hermione was on the curb trying to hail a cab. As she stood there, he came up behind her and started to tie the scarf he bought around her ponytail. She tried to turn around and she said, "What are you doing?" He held the scarf out to her, and then went back to tying it her hair. She said, "That's very pretty, thank you."

"You're very pretty," he unexpectedly said.

She turned back to look at him and her mouth was parted, and her eyes wide. "What did you say?"

"I said you were pretty," he said softer this time. Was it too soon to say things like that?

"Do you really think so?" She seemed confused for some reason.

He stepped closer to her and said, "Come now, Granger, you're a grown woman who has been engaged three times, so I know you've been told you were pretty before."

She looked at the pavement, and said, "I just never thought you would think so."

He took her chin in his hand, rubbed her bottom lip with his thumb, and took one more step and kissed her slowly; she was melting under his mouth. He withdrew his lips from hers and said, "I've always thought so."

She was shaking slightly, which he didn't understand. She turned back around and tried to hail another cab. He came up beside her and said, "Do you speak Italian, because I know I don't." He was lying. He spoke fluent Italian.

"I think I can manage to get us to the museum. I know the name of it, so surely the driver will understand. I'm sure they get a lot of tourist here," she stated, as a cab finally stopped in front of them. She climbed in the back and he climbed in beside her. She leaned up to the driver and said, slowly and deliberately, "Please take us to the Museum of the Diocese."

The cab driver shook his head and said, "No understand good English."

"Museum of the Diocese," Hermione repeated, slower.

The man still shook his head. Draco said, "Listen, I lied before. I know a little Italian, so allow me." He leaned forward and in perfect Italian told the cab driver, "_Please take us anywhere at all except to the Museum of the Diocese, and I will give you a large tip."_

The driver nodded, smiled and said, "Yes, yes," and started the cab.

The only word Hermione understood was the name of the museum, but she said, "It sounded like you just spoke fluent Italian, Malfoy."

He wasn't used to dating smart girls like Granger. She was going to be a challenge. "I known enough of the language to order in restaurants, and to talk to cab drivers, but that's it," he said, hoping to cover for his seemingly perfect Italian.

As they started their drive he said, "So tell me about your latest engagement, who was this man, what did he do, and why did you break your engagement?"

"Umm," she said stalling. She wasn't expecting to have to talk about her personal life to Malfoy of all people. "His name was Eric, and he works at the Museum with me, which is somewhat difficult, and it ended very badly, and I don't want to say much else."

"What about the other two engagements, tell me about those?" he said, turning in the backseat to face her.

She turned as well, shocked, and said, "Why in the world do you want to know that?"

"I just do." He was being honest.

"Fine, my first engagement was to Ron, okay. I went off to school, and he went to work, and we grew apart, but we're still great friends. We were too young. My second engagement was to a man named Ian, and he was 15 years old than I, and a wonderful man, who was more into his business than me, and I was more into my work than him, and he wanted a pretty young trophy wife, and that just wasn't me."

She stopped talking and turned in her seat to look out the window. She was in a semi-bad mood now, and it was Malfoy's fault. As she looked out the window she said, "Malfoy, we're leaving town! Look out the window. This man isn't taking us to the museum!"

Draco leaned forward again, and in perfect Italian said once more, "_You are doing a great job, just be sure you stay far away from the Museum of the Diocese."_

"Yes, yes, Museum of the Diocese," the man repeated.

Draco turned and said, "He seems to understand, Granger. Perhaps this is a shortcut."

"Out of town?" she shouted. She leaned forward for the last time and said, "Stop the damn taxi!" The man understood that. She got out of the car and slammed the door. Both Draco and the driver got out as well. She started walking back toward the town.

The driver yelled, in broken English, "Is this not far way enough from Museum? I take you far away."

She ran back and said, "We want to go to the museum, not far away from it!"

The driver looked over at Draco and said, "English man say take far way from museum."

Hermione shouted, "Draco Malfoy!"

"I told you my Italian was poor. I thought I told him to take us to the museum," he lied. Damn her for being the smartest witch he had ever met! She glared at him. He was beginning to like it when she glared. He said, "Fine, so sue me, I wanted to spend time alone with you, alright? But, we can go to the museum now. I've learned my lesson, and I'm sorry." He gave her his best pout. She simply had to forgive him.

Maybe not. She threw money at the cab driver, then turned around again and walked over toward the side of the road, where once she was out of sight, she apparated back to the hotel. He knew that was where she would go, so he had no choice but to follow. He was cursing himself the whole time, hoping he didn't screw up too badly.

When he arrived in the lobby of their little hotel, she was sitting in a chair, looking glum, with her legs and her arms crossed. He walked up to the clerk and said, "Please order Miss Granger and me a cab to the Museum of the Diocese."

He walked back over to her and said, "Sorry, Granger. It's not too late to go to the museum still. It's almost time for lunch, so we'll pick up with them after their lunch at the café, okay?" When she said nothing, he said, "Did you hear me?"

"Yes, Malfoy, I speak fluent English," she said sarcastically.

"How upset are you?" he asked.

"How upset do I look?" she asked back.

"Frankly, I've seen you much more upset before, so I would say on a scale of one to ten, you're about a five," he mused.

"You are so observant," she said, but she couldn't help but smile.

"I know how I can make it up to you," Draco said, smiling, and grabbing her hand.

She stood and said, "How?"

"You'll see tonight, but it's good, believe me. Now, come on, the cab should be here any minute. We can wait outside for it." He started walking, but had to stop when she had yet to move a muscle. He was still holding her hand, so when she didn't move, he stopped moving.

"There's no point now. I just want to go upstairs and take a nap, and then maybe we can go have some lunch somewhere," she exclaimed, and started for the stairs.

He hadn't let go of her hand, so this time she didn't get far. "You shall not wallow in self-pity. I believe that's one of those ten commandment things," he joked.

She laughed and said, "Yes, its right between thou shall not smirk and thou shall not lie about speaking Italian, although you had no trouble breaking those two."

"In all truthfulness, I've probably broken at least seven of the real commandments," he said almost with pride.

She was racking her brain trying to remember them all, and hoped he was joking. "Have you killed anyone?" She thought that was the most important one.

"Okay, so I guess I've broken eight," he said in jest.

"Oh, Malfoy, you're so funny," she said without a trace of a laugh.

The cab arrived and he started pulling her to the door. She said, "I want to go upstairs and rest."

He was still pulling her and he said, "I want to go to the museum."

"Stop man handling me," she said, putting her free wrist on the wrist of his hand that was pulling her arm out of its socket.

"Then come on!" he urged, still pulling, this time with both his hands. They must have made for a comical sight. The cab driver was staring as Malfoy was pulling her out the front door, and the desk clerk was laughing, as he held the door open for them.

Once more with determination, he said, "Come on, Granger!" and pulled her harder.

"Stop mauling me," she laughed. She finally said, "Fine, let's go," and she stopped resisting. Now the thing about the laws of physics is this: Force always wins out. When her force stopped resisting, and his force was still forcing, the cause and effect was such that as he pulled on her arm, with no resistance this time, he promptly fell over right on his bum!

She laughed so hard. She knelt down beside him and put her hand on his shoulder to steady her body, which was racked with laughter. He was more embarrassed than he had been in a long time. He sat on the pavement, listening to the laughter and snorts of Granger, the driver, the desk clerk, and various pedestrians passing by. He figured he had three options. One, he could accept her hand, which she had just offered from her now standing position, which also meant he would probable accept her heart. Two, he could hex the whole bloody lot of them, or three, he could push her down on her bum, but that meant he would probably have to ravish her right there and then in front of the whole lot of them, and that might not look good. Therefore, the real options were one or two.

If he picked one, he would have to go to the museum. If he picked two, he would have to go to jail. He decided to pick option one. He took a hold of her offered hand, stood up with her help and said, "Let's go to the blasted museum now, shall we?" He brushed off his pants. She stood behind him and brushed him off as well. He turned as she was touching his bum and said, "Fresh" and hit her hand.

She took his hand that just slapped hers and said, "Who wants to see a bunch of moss eaten tapestries, anyway. Take me out to lunch, Malfoy." He smiled and opened the door to the cab. They were going to go to lunch instead of the museum. See, Draco Malfoy always got his way.

Coming up: Sing for your Supper


	8. 8: Sing for Your Supper

**all characters belong to JKR**

**8 - Sing for Your Supper:**

Draco and Hermione went to Draco's favourite restaurant. It was in the middle of the town in a tall brick building, right beside a bakery and a stationery store. He asked for a table on the balcony. They were taken up a little wrought iron staircase and led to a table with a view. A view that would put the view in Hermione's room to shame.

"This is so beautiful!" Hermione stated, not even noticing the chair Draco was holding out for her. She walked up to the edge of the balcony and pointed, "What's beyond those golden hills?" she asked.

"Actually, my vineyard," he answered.

"It must be larger than I realized," she said, looking at him, and then looking back over the railing. She leaned over, so far that he was afraid she might fall, so he put his hands around her waist. She wasn't expecting that, so she turned quickly in his arms.

"Hello," he said, with a large grin, "I was afraid you might fall so I thought I would give you a hand."

"A hand at falling?" she joked. His hands were still around her waist. He started to pull her closer when the waiter appeared. She said, "Saved by the waiter." They sat down at their table and ordered. Draco ordered some wine and bread and then ordered their meals, once again, in perfect Italian.

"Where did you learn to speak fluent Italian?" she asked as the waiter poured the wine.

"When I was young. I learned French, German, Italian, and some Russian," he bragged.

"It must help you in business, knowing all those languages," she commented.

"Business?" he inquired.

"Yes, you know, your work," she elaborated, taking a bite of bread.

"Work is for the poor, like you, I merely lounge around and spend my money," he said to be droll. She threw her piece of bread at him and it bounced off his head and landed on the table. She laughed and he glowered at her, and then smiled as well.

The waiter brought their salads and Hermione asked, "What have you been up to all these years?"

"Not much," he answered glibly.

"You can't just say, 'not much', you must elaborate," she scolded.

Draco pointed his fork at her and said, "I didn't know there were rules to our dinner conversation. Please explain them to me."

"Fine," she answered, "First, all your answers must be at least five words or longer, not counting my name or curse words."

"Agreeable, ask me anything you want, Granger," he said, adding, "by the way, that had more than five words, did you notice? Are you proud?"

"I'm very proud. My first question is, what do you really do for a living?" she quizzed him.

"I already thought I answered that one, but I'll try again," he said, taking a drink of wine. "I don't do anything in particular. I'm a bum. Nine Words, Granger."

"So, you just live off your laurels?" she asked with laugh.

He shrugged and said, "Something like that, I guess. Five words."

"You don't have to keep telling me how many words, I can count." She rolled her eyes.

"I just want it noted that I'm playing fair. Ask another question, this is fun," he said sarcastically. Their meals arrived.

"Have you ever been married?" she asked.

He said, "No, I haven't found a rich enough woman yet. I haven't been engaged three times, either."

"That was my next question," she bartered, "Although I wasn't going to ask you how many times. Have you ever been engaged, just once?"

"No."

"One word answer, Malfoy? Naughty boy." She threw another piece of bread at him.

"I forgot. No, I haven't been engaged even once, anything else?" he asked, picking the piece of bread she threw off the floor and stuffing it in his mouth.

"That's disgusting, it hit the floor," she reprimanded. "Are your parents still alive and do they still live at the Manor?"

"They are still alive, and they are still at the Manor. I haven't lived there since I was 19 years old," he said. "How am I doing? Do my answers have enough words for you?"

"Plenty, thank you," she said, eating her rigatoni. She thought of another question, well, the same question, but it was still bothering her, "So, do you really do nothing for a living?"

He laughed right out loud and said, "Does that really bother you so much?"

"Yes, I think it does," she answered truthfully, "for you have to do something? Isn't life boring? Don't you need some kind of stimulus?"

"I get plenty of stimuli, and life with me is never boring," he said fondly. "Now, it's my turn and here are my rules. Your answers must contain eight words and eight words only, and must end with a form of endearment."

She started laughing so hard that she almost choked on her food, and had to take a drink of wine. She nodded, and waved her hand toward herself, so he took that as his go-ahead. He asked his first question. "Why did your last engagement end?"

She wasn't expecting that, but she asked him personal questions, so fair was fair. "He cheated on me and that hurt, sweetheart."

"How long have your mum and dad been divorced?" he inquired next.

"Just since this spring, but its fine… darling," she almost forgot the endearment, and added it quickly to the end of the sentence.

Draco grinned and said, "I like being called 'Darling', okay, next question, how long have you worked at the museum?"

"Since graduating from University, and I love it!" she exclaimed.

"Form of endearment, please," he said, closing his eyes, and using his hand to wave his way.

"But that would be nine words," she pouted, drinking some more wine.

"Rules should never be broken," he sneered.

This time, she actually spit out some of her wine, she laughed so hard. "What! Coming from you, who have probably broken every rule known to man, at least twice. Please."

"What did your former fiancé do for a living?" he asked her next, since what a person did for a living seemed so important to her.

"He works at the museum as well, which makes for a sticky situation these days. In fact, we were both up for the assistant curator post, and I got it over him, and he never really recovered from that," she said with certain sadness.

"Had you already set a date for your wedding?" Draco wondered. "You know, china patterns, floral arrangements, the whole bit?"

"Yes, I broke it off two days before the wedding," she said, looking down at her empty plate.

He felt bad for asking now. "Why?" He really seemed to be concerned.

"I told you, he was unfaithful. I found out and broke it off, end of story," she muttered softly.

"So what? People have affairs all the time. It's not that big of a deal. If you love someone, you work it out," he lectured, taking another drink of wine. He looked back at her and she seemed angry. Maybe his opinion on the matter should have stayed his opinion, he thought.

"Have you cheated on a woman you've been involved with, Malfoy?" she asked.

How should he answer? He felt backed into a corner. He more of less just told her he thought cheating was okay, but she apparently didn't. He had cheated before, and to him, it wasn't a big deal, but perhaps that's because he had never been in love, and she had. Before he could think of a response, she said, "You don't have to give me five words, a yes or no will suffice."

"Yes, I've cheated. However, I don't want you to think that I think that's an okay thing to do. I've never been in love, and if you're in love, you shouldn't cheat." 'There, that should placate her,' he thought.

"You just said five minutes ago that if you love someone, you should forgive them, and that cheating wasn't a big deal," she reminded him. She got up from her chair. Was she leaving? She said, "I have to go to the loo. I don't want to talk about this anymore, and I don't even really care what you think about the subject." She walked down the wrought iron steps and went back inside the restaurant.

He threw down his napkin. Damn her. Hermione didn't even let him explain. The truth was, he really didn't think cheating was a big deal, but it was because he had never been in love. That didn't mean he would cheat on a woman if he loved them. He threw a large amount of money on the table and walked down the stairs and out the doors, to find her. Little did he know that she really did just go to the loo. When she went back upstairs, and saw he was gone, she was upset, thinking she had offended him. She walked down the stairs and out the door, but he was gone.

She started walking down the winding road and to her amazement, she was across the street from the Museum of the Diocese. She decided to take a look. She walked up the stone steps, and into the large wooden double doors. She took one look at the large lobby and was already in awe. She started walking across the inlaid floor, and she went into the first large chamber to the right of the foyer. She saw a familiar looking man staring intently at a painting.

She walked up behind him and put her arms around his waist. He was taken aback. He turned around quickly, just as she did earlier in his arms, and saw it was she.

She came to stand beside him and said, "That's my favourite of all of Artemis' paintings. It's a portrait of his daughter Isabella, and she looks so sad and forlorn. I love the play of shadow and light, and the many colours and hues of blue that he used in the painting. Somehow he even made the colour blue appear as a light, see, right there," and she pointed to the chair the girl in the painting was sitting. He put his arm around her shoulders.

"I thought you left me," he stated, "so I came to look for you, and I thought this would be a good place to start."

"I went to the bathroom, I told you that. I thought you left me," she said, looking up at him.

"I'm not sure I would ever leave you," he admitted. "I'm sorry about the whole cheating thing. I shouldn't have said the bit about if you love someone, you forgive them. I know you loved your fiancé, and I know it must have hurt you when he was unfaithful. I was telling you the truth when I said I had never been in love. I'm sure if you're in love, cheating is one hundred times worse."

"Thank you for that validation," she said, suddenly hugging him. His body felt so warm next to hers. He put his arms around her and held her tightly. His chin rested on the top of her head. She turned her head so it was resting in the crook of his neck. She brought her lips up and kissed his neck, softly. She brought her hands around to put them on the front of his shirt.

He could have stayed like that forever. It felt so right, so warm, and so wonderful. Why was it he had never felt like this before? She looked up at him and said, "A penny for your thoughts?"

"What does that mean?" he asked.

"It means I want to know what you're thinking," she said, holding her breath.

"Do you really want to know?" he asked.

"Please," she said apprehensively.

"Nothing in this museum, this town, this world, can match the beauty that I see right here in my arms," he said, slowly, and almost poetically.

She took a deep breath again. He bent his head and captured her lips with his. He pressed them firmly and fully on hers. Her hands went from his chest to the back of his neck, holding him in place. His right hand traveled to the top of her back, between her shoulder blades, as his other hand stayed around her waist. He pressed her body tightly into his. He could feel the softness of her body, her breasts pressed firmly against his chest. He was filled with desire.

They parted and he said, "We should continue with the tour, don't you think?"

She seemed dazed. "Is there a tour going on? I'm not aware of anything at the moment, but of you, me and this moment in time."

He smiled, and kissed her swiftly, and said, "Well, the tour group just entered the room, so I think they're aware of us." She turned in his arms and saw the entire group from the hotel, including her mum, staring at them and smiling.

Mrs. Appleton said to her husband, "See dear, I told you they were in love. You owe me ten galleons."

Coming up: I could have Danced All Night


	9. 9: I Could Have Danced all Night

**all characters belong to JKR**

**9- I Could have Danced All Night:**

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the company of the others. Draco and Hermione finished the tour. They held hands most of the time. He even stole another simple little kiss. If he could have stolen her heart, he would have. He loved how she became so animated and overjoyed at all the different paintings and sculptures and even over the modern art, which Draco found dreadful.

Luckily for her, the "15th century tapestries" were saved for the end of the tour, so she felt complete. She was truly, utterly and absolutely happy. She saw her tapestries, she liked Draco Malfoy, and he appeared to like her as well. Wasn't she a lucky little witch?

The group was waiting for the tour bus to pull out front of the Museum. Her mother walked up to her and smiled. "What mother?" Hermione asked, smiling back.

"Draco's an interesting young man, don't you think?" her mum asked, evasively.

"Yes, mother, apparently I do," Hermione said, hitting her mother on the arm and laughing.

"Are you two going to the opera tonight?" her mum asked.

Draco came up behind the ladies and said, "I thought we might go dancing. I don't really like the opera." He came up behind Hermione and wrapped his arms around her waist in a public display of affection. Not as public as their kiss earlier, but still public. She felt that familiar tingling in her stomach and she thought her toes might curl.

Hermione, who was facing her mum, bit her lip to hide her smile and raised her eyebrows at her mum, as if to say, 'look at us.' "Dancing sounds delightful," Mrs. Granger said, walking away from the pair and walking toward the bus, sharing her daughter's adulation for the man.

Hermione turned in his arms and said, "Dancing?"

"Why not, you have feet," he laughed, "and I've heard you like shoes."

"I'm a terrible dancer. I have no grace or fluidity of movement," she announced.

"What the hell does that mean?" he asked her with a laugh.

"That's what my ballet teacher told my parents when I was eight," she said, smiling. "I really don't want to go dancing."

"The opera then?" he asked.

"Heavens no," she said, suggesting, "maybe be could have dinner up in the room, or something simple like that." He knew she was smart. He liked that idea. "We should go, or we'll miss the bus again," Hermione quipped.

"Missing the bus the first time worked out rather well for us," he mused.

"True, but I really want to get back to the hotel. I need to clean up, and then I want to go shopping, to buy something nice to wear tonight," she admitted.

"Are you going to buy new shoes?" he joked.

"I just might," she said, moving from his arms and stepping up in the bus. He stepped in behind her.

She took an empty seat near the end and he sat down next to her. They both sat there, not saying a word. She would turn and look at him, and smile. He would turn and look at her and smile. They would turn and look at each other at the same time, and laugh. Finally, Hermione said, "This is so surreal. You and I? What is this, Malfoy?"

"A nice diversion?" he suggested.

She frowned. She was a diversion for him. "This is just a nice little holiday fling to you?" she asked, in all seriousness, making it sound more like a statement than a question.

He wouldn't have put it quite like that. "No, since I'm not really on vacation, I don't think I would have classified this as thus," he said.

She turned her head and looked out the window the rest of the trip to the hotel.

Once they were back at the hotel, Hermione stood to try to exit the bus, but she was trapped. Draco had yet to stand. She looked down at him and said, "Excuse me, Malfoy, but I can't leave until you do."

He looked up at her, stood and said, "Are you angry with me?"

"Not really, no, why?" she lied.

"I'm not an idiot, contrary to popular belief," he told her.

"Come on; let's get off the bus, before we get trapped on here," she pleaded.

"Why are you angry?" he asked again.

"Because you think this is just a holiday romance," she said truthfully this time.

"Did I say that?" he asked, confused.

She pushed passed him and walked off the bus. He followed. He caught up to her before she entered the hotel. "What would you call this? We've gotten together a few times in the past couple of days, had some laughs, enjoyed each other's company, shared a few kisses. Isn't that enough?" he stated. "I mean, I would think someone who's been engaged as many time as you, would recognize a relationship for what it is."

She felt overwhelming sad and somewhat embarrassed. He was right. This was nothing. They probably wouldn't even see each other after this week. She said, "Go on up to the room. I'll see you later. I need to buy some new shoes apparently," and she left with a little wave and a plastic, painted on smile, and she walked down the street. She rounded the corner and he was still out front watching her. Once she was out of his line of sight, she started to run. She ran across the street, down another lane, sat down on a bench near a courtyard of a little old church, and felt like crying, but she didn't. It would be ridiculous to shed a tear for a relationship that never was.

He decided to follow her. He had just rounded the corner when he saw her cross the street, and enter the courtyard of the little church. She was on a bench, with her back to him. She looked sad. He said all the wrong things, again. He had to remedy the situation. He apparated back to the hotel, not caring if any Muggles saw him. He had a lot of work to do.

Hermione decided her 'pity party' was over, so she stood up and went back to the little shop where she had bought her scarf and sandals earlier. She bought a very pretty, teal green dress and some new shoes. She bought a bracelet. She walked back to the hotel. She didn't really want to get ready in her room, since that was where he probably was. She went to Marilyn's room, and asked her if she could get ready there. Marilyn and her brother weren't going to the opera tonight.

She took a shower, and then changed into her new outfit. She left her hair long and flowing, and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She said, "Not too bad, old girl."

She started down the hall in time to see her mum on the arm of Professor Cummings. They were laughing. Hermione thought they looked sweet together. An idea came to her suddenly. She ran up to her mum and said, "May I borrow her for a moment, Professor?" He nodded. Her mother walked down the hallway with her.

"You look beautiful, sweetheart," her mum said.

"You do as well," Hermione retaliated. "Mum, is Professor Cummings going on the cruise at the end of the week?"

"Well, yes, darling, I think most of the guests from the hotel have booked the same tour as us, so they're all coming on the cruise after our week here in Italy, why?" Mrs. Granger asked.

"I think I'll forgo the cruise," she stated, being interrupted by her mum.

"But, Hermione, you need this vacation as much as I do," she said.

"True, but I think I would rather cramp your style, if you get my drift. Also, I think I might like to go on to your new house, and get it all settled for you," she told her mum.

"That's not a vacation," Mrs. Granger argued.

"It would be for me. I would have a solid week of uninterrupted solitude, plus I would do something nice for my mother, whom I love more than anyone." Hermione hugged her as she said this. She really wanted her mum to be happy, and she thought maybe something nice might develop between her and the professor. Also, she really didn't want to go on the cruise, mostly because Draco wasn't going. Her mum had rented a little house on a big country estate, having just told Hermione about it this morning, and she really would like to get it ready for her mum to live in after her holiday.

"If you're sure, then I think that's a splendid plan," her mum said, hugging her daughter again. "I really should go. I don't want to be late for the opera, and I think you should be heading toward our room. Draco has been working hard on your dinner."

Hermione waved goodbye to her mother and Professor Cummings and walked toward their suite. Should she knock on the door? It was her room, after all, but still she knocked.

He answered. He looked so handsome. He had on beige lightweight trousers and a white button down shirt. His hair was hanging slightly in his eyes. He took her hand and led her in "their" suite. He looked at her outfit and said, "Wow, you look absolutely breathtaking, Granger, and I see you have new shoes, nice touch."

She said, "I aim to please," and she stepped further into the room, only to stop suddenly when she saw the Milo Artemis painting from his villa propped up against the wall. She said, "Malfoy, what is your painting doing here? Are you taking it back to London with you?"

"No, you are," he said, walking out onto the balcony, where there was a table set up with wine and food.

She didn't follow him, so he was forced to walk back into the room. "Aren't you hungry?" he asked.

"You can't give me this painting!" she exclaimed.

"I disagree. I can, I will, and I have given you this painting," he told her, walking up to her, taking her hand, and leading her outside to the balcony. She had her head turned toward the painting the entire way. Once outside, she tried to crane her neck to look inside at the painting once again, but he used his wand and shut the balcony doors, and turned off the lights in the room.

"Ambiance," he claimed, when she gave him a funny look.

"Fine, I'll give you my undying attention," she said, "but seriously, I don't think I can accept a painting worth so much money. Now, if you want us to put it on display at the museum for a while, I think that would be a wonderful plan."

"I don't care what you do with it, since it belongs to you now," he said, pouring her some wine.

They started eating and he said, "Please tell me why you were upset with me earlier."

"It's silly," she said, "and I don't want to ruin our evening. You're leaving in another couple of days, so we need to make the most of our time together, because we might not see each other again, for a very long time."

"Oh, is that right?" he asked, taking a bite of his food.

"That's what I gathered from your statement," she started.

He actually threw down his fork and said, "I seriously don't know what I even said! Tell me, refresh my memory." He was honestly confused.

Hermione looked down at her plate and said, "Nothing. You just said this was a nice diversion, and I agree frankly. It's a nice little diversion." Hermione looked up at him and he was staring at her so intently, that she felt hot and embarrassed. She looked back at her food, playing with it with her fork, but not really eating.

"Granger, I didn't mean it like it sounded. I just say things flippantly sometimes. I mean, this is a nice diversion, from my everyday life, and please afford me some common courtesy and look at me when I speak to you," he said as he threw his napkin down on his plate. She looked up at him. "That doesn't mean I don't want to continue to see you after we get back to London. After your cruise is over, I plan on contacting you, if that would be acceptable."

"I think that's acceptable, but I'm not going on the cruise now. My mum told me this morning she finally rented a little house that's on some large country estate, right outside of town," she clarified, "so I thought I would spend the second week of my holiday there, fix it up, move her in, work my magic so to speak." She smiled.

He smiled as well. He knew something she apparently didn't know, and he didn't think he would tell her just yet. He would let her find this secret out on her own next week when she went to 'use her magic' on her mum's new home.

He stood up and walked over to her. She looked up at him. "Would you care to dance, Granger?"

"You're daft, because there's no music," she said bemused.

"There's always music, you just have to listen." He took her hand. He put her left hand in his right hand, and his left hand went firmly on the middle of her back. He started swaying back and forth with her. "Hear the wind, Granger? It's playing a melody to which we can dance." He moved her away from the table.

"I heard the sound of cars going by, playing a song we can dance to as well," he said. He continued moving back and forth, pulling her slightly closer.

"Do you here that distant owl. He's singing us a song." He pulled her even closer, putting her left hand, which he still had clasped firmly in his right, up to his chest. She was so close now that she rested her head on his chest.

"I hear your heart beating. It's playing a rhythm that I could definitely get used to hearing," she said, not looking up at him. He let go of her hand and put both his arms tightly around her. She dropped her hands from his shoulders, to his chest. She stopped moving, and so did he. She was afraid to look up at him. Not because she was afraid to see what was in his eyes, but because she was afraid for him to see what was in hers. She had never felt this way for anyone before, not this fast and not this hard.

She pushed away from him and said, "Excuse me, I need to leave for a second," and she walked in the room. She walked into her bedroom, shut the door, and sat down on the bed to think.

He stood there, outside on the balcony, feeling foolish standing there all alone. He thought they were having a nice little dance. Hell, he could dance with her like that all night. He walked into the suite, went up to her door, and was just about to knock when the door opened.

"Malfoy! You scared me," she said, holding the door opened.

"So you've said before," he said sharply. Then, he didn't know what overcame him, but he took his hand and pushed the door open wider. He stepped forward and she stepped back. She felt he almost had a predatory look about him. He grabbed both her wrists and pulled her body flush up against his. He kissed her strongly and soundly on the lips, for just a few seconds. He let her go, and turned to leave, or so she assumed.

Instead, he slammed the door shut and took the two strides it took to reach her again and grabbed her around the waist and kissed her a second time, even more forcibly than the first time. He softened the kiss slightly, when he felt her arms go around his neck. He stopped the kiss, and let her go, opened the door, and took her hand, and without a word, led her to the couch. They both sat down.

He said, "Let's get one thing straight. I was not looking for a serious relationship. I don't care ever to get married or any such bullocks. My business was completed that first night, and I only extended it to be with you, and I'm not sure why. This is weird for me too, Hermione. I know you think this is all too much, too soon, and frankly, so do I."

She tried to interrupt, and he actually put his hand on her mouth. "We used to hate each other. We come from different worlds and different backgrounds. You're like the sun, and I'm like the moon, but you know what, who cares? I don't. I want to see where this will lead. This isn't just a nice diversion, I lied about that. You should know by now how much I lie. Now you may speak."

"I may speak?" she pondered, almost sarcastically. "Thank you, Malfoy. Now you listen, I've been engaged three times, as you are well aware. The last one ended just six weeks ago. I came here for my mum, not to find romance. I didn't care if I ever found romance again. I certainly wasn't looking for it with you, but things happen for a reason. This isn't just a holiday fling for me either. I have to tell you the truth; I've never quite felt like this before." She finished her little speech, and looked down at his hand, which had suddenly taken a hold of hers.

He reached up with his other hand and put it on her jaw, bringing it down slowly to her neck. He leaned in and kissed her mouth, then her jaw line, then her neck. His hand traveled down to her chest, resting above her breast, on her bare skin. He was afraid to venture further. She leaned back against the sofa pillows and he leaned forward, and pressed against her with his chest. His lips found hers again, and he kissed them and opened them to kiss her deeper. He shifted so he was leaning against the sofa pillows, and with his hands on her back, he pulled her over so her body pressed against his. He wanted to make love to her at that moment. He knew he shouldn't, but that's what he wanted. He shifted again so he was reclined against the entire sofa, and she was now lying across his body. She was kissing him with a single intent. What that intent was he didn't know, but he liked it. She moved to her side, so she was no longer on top of him. That he didn't like. At least her lips were still on his. She placed one leg slightly between his. Now that he really liked.

Hermione finally pulled away, breathing hard. She said, "What? Did you think I was going to have sex here on this sofa with you, with the possibility of my mum entering the room at any moment?"

"One could only hope," he said, smiling, as he tried to sit up. She sat up before he did and straightened her skirt.

She stood up and said, "You're very good kisser, Malfoy. Too bad I didn't know that back in school. I might have given you a second look, if I had known." She straightened down her hair as he reached for her. She ran from his clutches, and he merely grabbed the material of her dress. She said, "You have to be faster than that to catch me, Malfoy."

She turned to walk back out to the balcony and he got up so fast and grabbed her from behind, she didn't even know he was there until she felt his arms around her chest.

He whispered in her ear, "Is that fast enough for you? You know what, Granger, I don't think I want to let you go. What do you say to that?"

"I say, you don't always get what you want," she said back, leaning her head back slightly to look up at him.

He said, "I do. I always get what I want, just wait and see," and he let her go. He moved back outside, right behind her, and they sat back down. He said, "I hate to tell you this, but I can't stay until Thursday now. I got a call from my solicitor, and I'm needed back in London."

"Oh," was all she could think to say. She took another drink of wine, to fill the void in conversation that followed.

"So, what I put forward to you is that as soon as you get back from your little decorating jaunt at your mum's new cottage, you and I go out on a proper date, something nice and romantic," he proposed.

"This is nice and romantic," she countered.

"Too true, but I think I can do even better, if I'm allowed the chance, so what do you say, Granger?" he asked.

"You know you called me Hermione again, earlier this evening, on the couch," she said resting her chin on her hands.

"And this is relevant, because?" he goaded.

"Just an observation, now what were you asking me?" Hermione cocked her head to the side and smiled sweetly.

He sighed and said, "I totally forgot. Something about you makes me forget the words as soon as they leave my mouth." He poured some more wine.

"I recall," she said, "you were asking me what I thought about a proper romantic date."

"Was I? What is your answer?" He took one of her hands and rubbed his thumb on the top.

"I think that might be a fine arrangement," she said, putting her free hand on top of the hand that was on hers and holding it loosely.

"You're a pistol, Granger," he joked. He stood up and walked over to her and said, "Shall we go back to the sofa and snog some more?" He took her hand. She nodded and ran into the room and he chased her. They both stopped in their tracks when they saw Hermione's mum and Professor Cummings sitting on the couch, stealing their idea. Hermione shrieked and ran back out on the patio, with Draco close behind her.

She bent over in laughter and said, "That was unexpected!"

He grabbed her shoulders to stand her up, and he was laughing as well. "Your mum is a tart. Now I see where you get it from," he said with a grin. She hit his arm.

"Shut up," she spat, and she looked through one of the panes of glass on the door and said, "I don't even think they knew we came in there. They haven't come up for air yet." He leaned right next to her, his face so close their cheeks were touching.

"Gross," he said.

She hit him again and then hugged him and said, "I think I'll just apparate to my room. Will I see you before you leave tomorrow?"

"You better," he retorted, kissing her cheek just as she 'popped' away. He had better see her damn soon, or else he might spontaneously combust. He looked in the window once more and said, "Aw, it's not that gross," and then he apparated into his own bedroom.

Coming up: No time to Say Goodbye


	10. 10: No Time to Say Goodbye

**all characters belong to JKR**

**10 - No Time to Say Goodbye:**

Draco woke up very late. So late, that he barely had time to get a shower and dress. He had to be back in England by one o'clock, and it was after 11:30 am. They hadn't even stayed up that late last night, so why in the world did he sleep so late?

He was all ready to go and he estimated he had about 20 minutes to go see Granger before he had to leave. He dashed out of the suite and ran down to the lobby. He looked in the dining room, and then he walked over to the front desk and asked, "Have you seen Miss Granger this morning?"

The young lady behind the counter said, "I know the group went to visit an old church in the next town over today, and then they were taking a tour of an olive oil factory. I don't know if she's with them or not."

"Damn!" Draco expelled, turning to the young woman, he said, "I'm not cursing at you, of course." Why didn't she wake him up? Why didn't she say goodbye? He went back up to get his luggage and asked the young woman at the desk to call him a cab. He stood outside the hotel to wait.

Inside the suite, Hermione Granger was just waking up. It was almost noon! She ran out of her bedroom over to his. He was gone. She ran down to the lobby, still in her nightgown, and asked the front desk clerk if Mr. Malfoy had checked out. She was told she just missed him. Bloody hell! Why didn't he wake her to say goodbye? She was so upset. She hoped that didn't mean anything. She went back up to her room, upset that she had slept so late.

She went out to the balcony and leaned over the railing. She scanned the countryside. At least she would see him in a few days, or at least she hoped so. She turned toward the left hand side of the balcony, and looked down at the street below. She saw a blonde man entering a taxi! She yelled, "MALFOY!" but the cab drove away. She leaned way over on the balcony and yelled again, "MALFOY!"

Draco had just got in the cab, and he could have sworn he heard her call his name. When he heard it, the second time, he told the cab driver to pull over. He got out of the cab and looked back toward the hotel.

Hermione saw him get out of the cab. She called his name for the third time, waving her hands above her head. "MALFOY!" she yelled. He waved back. He turned to the cab driver and told him to wait for him. He ran back toward the hotel. She ran down the stairs. He ran in the doors. She jumped the last three steps and jumped into his arms. He kissed her soundly on the lips and swung her around, like a long lost lover.

"I thought you left without saying goodbye!" she said, putting her hands on each side of his face. He kissed her again.

"I couldn't find you to say goodbye," he declared.

"Did you check my room?" she laughed, "because I was still in bed."

"I'm an idiot," he laughed back, and then he put his hands on her face and kissed her slowly. "Do you promise to owl me when you get to your mum's cottage?" he asked.

"Of course," she said.

He kissed her hand and said, "I have to go. I have to get to the portkey site by 12:30. I'll see you soon." He started out the door and she ran to him again and turned him around. She just stared at him for a moment. He thought she looked so beautiful, in only her silk nightgown, with no makeup on, and her hair all tousled. "Did you need something else?" he asked.

She leaned forward, kissed his cheek, hugged him tight and said, "You can think I'm crazy, and this might totally scare you off, but here goes…I think I'm really falling for you. Don't say anything back to me. Just think about what I just said." She started back up the stairs and he rushed to her.

He grabbed her arm, and turned her around. He took her hands and brought them to his mouth. He gave them a hurried kiss and he almost shouted, "I love you, Granger!" and he ran out the door. She ran after and watched his cab pull away. He rolled down the window and waved at her until he could no longer see her.

She walked back inside and ran all the way up to her room. Once she was there, she twirled around and said, "WEEEE! He loves me!"

*************************************

Six Months Later:

Hermione never made it to the cottage. Hermione never contacted Draco Malfoy when she got home. Draco Malfoy went to the cottage on the Monday morning after he last saw her, expecting her to be there. He thought she would be surprised when he found out that the house her mum had rented was owned by him, and was situated on his weekend estate.

Subsequently, with flowers in hand, he went to call. He was saddened that she wasn't there. He owled her and got no response. He found her address, and tried to visit her, but was told she moved. He went to the museum and talked to her boss, the curator, Mr. Dodds. He got some answers from him.

Mr. Dodds told Draco that Hermione quit her job, and moved to a small village south of London. He told him that when she got back from Italy she found out that her former fiancé was in a serious accident. Hermione left work to take care of him. He said he didn't know anything more than that.

Draco couldn't believe it. Why didn't she tell him? What did that mean? Did it mean that she was back together with him? Draco waited another week, and then visited Hermione's mum at the cottage. She was as upset by the news as Draco was. She said she never liked "Eric" or the hold he had over her daughter. She said that during the last few days of their vacation, all Hermione could talk about was Draco, and so she was upset when she got home from the cruise, and found out that Hermione hadn't even come to the cottage, but had received a message from Eric, saying that he had been in an accident, and he needed her.

Mrs. Granger told Draco that Hermione felt a sense of obligation, and that she owed Eric her friendship. Draco told Mrs. Granger to let him know if she heard from her.

That was six months ago, and he hadn't heard from Granger or her mum, until today. It was a week before Christmas, and Draco was planning a large Christmas party at his weekend estate. He invited Mrs. Granger, and she sent back a note saying Hermione was visiting, and could she come along? She told Draco that Eric died just last month, as a result of his accident. She said that Hermione was coming to stay at her cottage for a while.

He sent another note saying if she wanted to come, she was welcomed to do so.

The thing was he had no hard feeling against her. He had moved on, and apparently, so had she. In fact, he was engaged to be married. He never thought that would happen, but it did. She was a witch named Eleanor, and she was tall, and blonde and beautiful. He didn't love her, but love was a subjective thing. He liked her enough. She was compatible to him. They made a nice looking couple. She was proper, came from money, and had a good bloodline. All in all, he was content.

Hermione had moved on as well. She hated that she had never tried to get in touch with Draco. She felt too guilty. Eric contacted her as soon as she got back from Italy, and told her that he had been in a very bad accident, and he needed her. She knew he had no family, and apparently, the woman he had been sleeping with while engaged to her couldn't handle taking care of an invalid. Hermione stayed with him and took care of him for five months and then he died. It was very sad. It wasn't sad because she loved him anymore. It was sad because he was a young man, whose life ended too soon.

Hermione's mum had gotten very serious with Professor Cummings and was planning to marry him on New Year's Day. She was going to move to his house in London. Hermione felt happy for her mum, but somewhat lost and forlorn. She quit her dream job, she gave up her flat, and now her mum was leaving. She didn't even have a place to stay. Hermione still had no clue that her mum was renting the cottage from Malfoy. Her mum told her that she would keep the lease, and Hermione could stay there until she figured out what she wanted to do.

She started to move her things in her new home, as her mum had already moved out. She was walking toward the front door, carrying several heavy boxes, and she wasn't able to see around them. Her could only see the floor. Suddenly, she saw a pair of men's shoes, attached to men's feet. She put the boxes down and looked up into the face of Draco Malfoy. She couldn't help herself; she jumped up and threw her arms around him. She hugged him and he put one arm around her.

"Draco, what are you doing here?" she exclaimed.

"I'm here to meet my new tenant," he told her.

"You own that big house up there?" she asked.

"Afraid so," he said with a smile.

"My mum never told me that. Wow, that's unexpected," she said, bending down to pick up her boxes.

"Why not use magic to move in, Granger?" he asked.

"Because, I didn't know this place was owned by a wizard, Malfoy, so I didn't know that I could." She used her wand to pick up the boxes. He followed her into the little four-room cottage.

"This place is great, Malfoy. The attic space is perfect for my books, and for me to paint. I'm trying to be artist now," she said with a small smile.

"That's nice," he said, as he noticed the painting that he had given her hanging over the fireplace. He felt uncomfortable with all the small talk. Especially given the fact that when she hugged him outside a few minutes ago, he realized that he still felt exactly the same way about her as he did that summer. That wasn't a good thing, was it?

He said, "So, I'm so sorry to hear about Eric. Your mum told me."

"Oh yes, it's sad. He had no family, so I was all he had," she answered.

"Did you two become engaged again?" he asked, setting a box off the couch to sit down.

"No, oh no. It was nothing like that; I just took care of him. He needed someone, and I wanted to be his friend," she remarked.

"That's good, I would hate to think of you as being engaged four times, that would be silly," he said and he tried to smile.

"Wouldn't it, though," she agreed, moving another box and sitting down beside him. "Mum tells me you're engaged. Best wishes there, Malfoy."

"Thanks," he said, letting go of the breath he didn't even know he was holding. "I need to know one thing, Granger," Malfoy said, turning to look at her, "Why didn't you try to get a hold of me and explain everything to me?"

"Because you said you loved me," she said softly.

"What the hell did that have to do with anything? I would think that's more of a reason to contact me," he said with ire.

"I know, but I didn't know what else to do. I just couldn't go on with my relationship with you, knowing that I might be stuck taking care of him for an infinite amount of time. It was wrong of me, and I'm sorry, but no harm done," she answered, standing up.

He stood so suddenly it scared her. "NO HARM DONE?" he yelled. "How the hell can you say that?" he asked, grabbing her arm and holding it so tightly she thought she might cry.

"You're hurting me, Malfoy," she said. He let go of her arm. She answered, "It's just, you've moved on, you're engaged, to a woman that I hear is ten times more beautiful than I, and you must really love her to want to marry her, especially as you once told me you never wanted to marry." She started to put her coat on and said, "I have to get the rest of my boxes. I probably won't come to your party tonight, but I know that Mum and Professor Cummings will be there." She started out the door and noticed that it had begun to snow.

He ran out after her and whipped her around. He pulled her into his tight circle of arms and looked down in her eyes. Hermione was breathing hard, and so was he. He said, "No one is as beautiful to me as you are, and I don't love her. I still love you, now what the hell am I supposed to do?" He put his lips lightly on hers and played with them. He pulled on her bottom lip, and then kissed just her top lip. She tried to deepen the kiss, but he pulled his head away. "You should have stayed away, Granger," he said before he smashed his lips down on hers vigorously. He moved his head to the side, and she followed. He pulled away again and started kissing her neck.

He looked up at her as she was still tightly in his arms and said again, "What the hell are we suppose to do now, Granger?"

She put her hands up to the back of his neck and said, "No one deserves to be hurt because of us, so you have to make up your mind, but you can't stay engaged to her, and expect to have me on the side. I can't do that."

He kissed her again, deeper, with tongue and feeling. Hermione pulled away, unable to breathe or think straight. "You better come to my party tonight, Granger. I intend to be there stag, and I'll need you to keep me company, since I'll be a single man by tonight." He let her go, and walked down her sidewalk, without glancing back. Hermione remained on the sidewalk, staring at him as he walked down the lane, with snow falling all around her.

_Coming up: Happy Holidays_


	11. 11: Happy Holidays

**all characters belong to JKR**

**11 - Happy Holidays**

Hermione hurried and brought all her boxes into the cottage. She still had a lot to do, but number one on her list was to get ready for a Christmas party. Yes, she had a Christmas party to go to tonight, and she wanted to look extraordinarily beautiful. She left all the unpacking for later, and went to get a shower and get dressed. After her shower, she started looking through her boxes to find something to wear. She finally located the item of clothing she was looking for. Her mother got it for her last Christmas, and she had never had enough of a special occasion to wear it, until now. It being a deep forest green, low cut, cashmere sweater, which tied around the waist. The only thing she could think to pair it with was a black flowing silk skirt. With black stockings and black shoes, she decided she was set to go.

She called her mum before she left, to see if she and the professor could pick Hermione up on their way up to the big house. Apparently, they had already left. Hermione would apparate, but she wasn't sure, if this was a magical only party, or if Muggles might be present, so she would have to walk.

She put her coat on, but she didn't want to put a hat on over her hair, since it took her next to forever to put it up just perfectly, so she left her head bare. It was no longer snowing, but a thin, white blanket, layer of snow, covered the ground. It was dark outside, but the moonlight bounced over the fresh, new, crisp snow, so she had plenty of light, to light her way. She started to walk up the long driveway. She was so far away that she couldn't yet see the house.

Several cars passed her on the way, and each stopped to see if she wanted a ride. After telling the fifth person, thank you, but no, she decided to walk up the yard. Maybe it would be a shorter trek. Her shoes were not made for walking in fresh fallen snow. Her feet were wet in no time. She finally reached the house, and to say that she was impressed would be an understatement. The house was beautiful. It was an old Tudor, with gables and lead glass windows and impressive landscaping. She rang the front bell, and shown into a grand foyer. The person who opened the door asked for her coat, and she handed it over to them.

There were many people loitering around, but Hermione didn't see her mum or more importantly, Draco. Soon, a beautiful witch with long blonde hair came up to her and said, "You must be Mrs. Granger's daughter. I see the family resemblance. My name is Eleanor, I'm Draco's fiancée," and she held out her hand. Hermione was shaken, and felt like someone had kicked her in the chest, but she hid it well. She shook the woman's hand and told her it was nice to meet her. Eleanor started introducing herself to other late arrivals, so Hermione took her chance to try to find Draco.

She thought he said he was breaking it off tonight. Perhaps she should just leave. She took a flute of champagne from a server, and walked around the downstairs of the house. There wasn't one single person she knew. Everyone was dressed in formal wear. Hermione looked down at her outfit, and felt terribly underdressed. She looked back up to see a good-looking young man with dark hair and brilliant blue eyes staring at her.

He came over and said, "Don't worry about being underdressed. I think you're the prettiest woman here. My name is Pierce Huntington, and you are?"

Hermione stared at the man for a moment, and then she shook her head and put out her hand to capture his. She said, "I'm sorry, I forgot who I was for a moment, apparently. My name is Hermione Granger."

The man laughed and said, "Are you a friend of Eleanor's?"

"No, I went to school with Malfoy, and my mum was renting the guest cottage near the front of the estate," she explained.

He said, "Yes, I've met her before. She's a very nice woman. Good thing she's leaving the cottage by the first of the year. My sister promised me I could stay there for a while."

Hermione was confused. "Your sister?"

"Yes, Eleanor, Draco's fiancée," Pierce answered.

Hermione was dumbstruck. First, this man was still under the impression that Draco was engaged to his sister, and he thought he was moving into _her_ house.

"Will you excuse me for a moment?" Hermione asked. She started toward a door, not knowing where it would lead. It led to the dining room. She walked through another door, to find a butler's pantry. A small dark staircase went up from the butler's pantry. Hermione didn't know what made her start up the stairs, but she did. She just wanted to get away. The staircase was almost completely dark. Only a small amount of light from a sconce on the wall at the landing afforded her any light at all.

Once she was safely to the first landing, she started up the next set of stairs, only to find Malfoy sitting on said stairs, with his head in his hands. She took two more steps and sat down next to him. He seemed to know it was she before he even looked up. "Are we hiding?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," he answered, still not looking at her.

"From me?" she inquired.

"No," he answered. Then he said, "Although, I thought once you saw Eleanor, you would have left by now."

"Do you want me to leave?" she asked.

"Hell, no," he said, finally looking at her.

"Did you break it off with her today?" Hermione felt she already knew the answer, but she asked anyway.

"Yes, I did. She just wanted to wait until after the holidays to tell everyone," Draco said, "After all, most of the guests here tonight are her friends and family, and she wanted to avoid scandal. She's really a very nice girl. I don't think she was that surprised by my announcement."

"What was your announcement?" Hermione asked. She hoped he hadn't told her that he wanted to break their engagement because of her.

"I told her that I couldn't marry someone I didn't love. She felt the same, but didn't know how to tell me," he confessed.

"You know that her brother is under the impression that he's moving into my house," Hermione said with a smile.

"It will be close quarters, don't you think?" Draco smiled back, then to reassure her he said, "Eleanor will let him know that he can't move in the cottage, don't worry."

"Well, I wasn't really worried," Hermione said, standing up. "So, you are sure Eleanor doesn't know that you broke up because of me?" she asked, now worried.

"You have an inflated ego, Granger," he laughed. "No, she doesn't even know about you. I told her I wanted to break it off because I wanted to pursue brighter prospects. Anyway, Eleanor's going to tell everyone she broke it off, because she has a reputation to uphold."

"I have a reputation, as well, so I just don't want to be thought of in a bad light, okay?" she said, as she started walking back down the steps.

"Where are you going, Granger?" Draco asked, finally standing as well, and reaching for her hand.

Without answering him, she looked at his hand, which had now taken a firm hold of hers. She said, "Are you and Eleanor spending the holidays together?"

"You're so transparent, Granger. No, she's leaving tonight to join her family in the south of France. She'll tell them about us at that time," he said, still holding her hand.

She looked once more at his hand holding hers and said, "If I can't enjoy your company tonight, then I should leave."

"Aren't you enjoying my company right now?" he asked, taking one more step down, so he was only one-step above her.

"Not as much as I would like," she said truthfully. He stepped down on the same step with her. It was a very narrow staircase, so he was pressed up against her, of course, it wasn't really that narrow. He took one more step down, so he was one-step lower than her. He finally spoke, "We could go somewhere, be alone, catch up; we missed out on six months, you know?"

"I think I should go. You know, you should have told me the dress was formal tonight. I'm afraid I am terribly underdressed," she complained.

"You look beautiful," he said, taking one more step down, so he was standing two steps below, directly in front of her. They were the same height now.

"Yes, Pierce thought so, too," Hermione teased. "Maybe I should let him move in the cottage, after all."

Draco said, "Not bloody likely," and he put one arm around her waist, and his free hand on her face. She gripped the banister for support. She felt so good in his arms. He had actually missed this so much, this type of intimacy. How could he miss something that he had barely even had?

He put his lips on her neck, right under her earlobe. She had to lean into him for support, or she might have tumbled down the stairs. He kissed her neck again and then said, "You're very beautiful." He kissed her jaw and said, "The prettiest girl here tonight." He kissed her cheek, "I love that colour," he kissed her bottom lip only, "It's always been my favourite," he kissed the upper lip. "I used to wonder what you would look like in green," he kissed her lips again, both this time, and then took her bottom lip in his teeth and tugged gently. He put his mouth firmly back on hers and opened her mouth, so he could explore her more intimately.

She arched into his body more, taking her hand off the banister to join her other hand in his hair. He felt her warm, soft body, pressed firmly up against his chest, and he wanted to take her right there on the stairs. She felt an arousal start in the pit of her stomach, traveling lower and going through her blood stream like a fever.

He pushed her slightly away, his arms still around her, and sighed. She opened her eyes, and looked at him in the darkness of staircase. He was stroking her hand with his thumb, while his other hand went to the front of her green, low cut sweater. He traced the collar of the sweater, on her skin, with his finger, starting at one shoulder, going over the swell of one of her breasts, to the dip of her cleavage, up to the swell on the other breast, to the other shoulder.

"You do look lovely in green," he said again. His eyes were glassed over, that much she could tell even in the dark. He dipped his head, putting both hands on her back, and he kissed her chest, above the neckline of the sweater. She thought her knees might buckle, sending them both down the stairs.

She shook her head, and he brought his up and laughed at her. He put his hand on her forehead and said, "You're rather warm, Granger."

"I wonder why?" she mused.

He laughed again and started to sit back down. He pulled her down, to the step below. He opened his legs, and she sat between them, with her arms hooked over his legs. He took one of her palms and traced the lines on it, and said, "You have an amazing love line. I think it actually spells out my name. See?" He traced an imaginary set of letters on her palm. He said aloud, "D, R, A, C, O and let's see, yes, that's an M, A, L, F, O and what is that? Is that a Y? I think so." He took her hand and kissed her palm. He licked the inside of her hand lightly, and then she took his hand.

"Let's see what your hand says, Malfoy," and she looked down at his palm. She traced a hesitant finger over his hand and said, "I see an H, and an E, and I think an R, and that might be a letter M, but that's all I see. Your hand isn't big enough to spell out my name, pity, Malfoy."

He held out his other hand and said, "Check this one, maybe the rest of your name is on there."

She took his other hand, as his first arm came around her front, encasing her shoulders. She looked at the other hand and said, "It spells out, G, O, Y, L, and an E. Goodness, Malfoy! Gregory Goyle is your one true love?" She laughed.

He tickled her ribs and she started laughing, trying to stand to get away. She managed to slip out of his grasp, and ran up the second set of stairs. She ended up at a door that she figured had to lead to an attic.

She no sooner reached the dark wooden door, than he came up behind her, trapping her body, her back facing his front, with one arm on each side of her body.

"You must pay for telling me I love Goyle, Granger. That was a long time ago, and we were kids," he joked. He kissed the side of her neck, and brought his right hand around the front of her waist. His left hand was still on the door.

She turned in his arms and laughed as well. He never thought she looked as pretty as she did when she laughed. He pressed hard into her body and said, "Let's go in the attic and get reacquainted."

He opened the door, and she almost fell on the floor. He caught her quickly, and held onto her waist. He maneuvered her body into the dark attic. He used his wand to light some lanterns that were on the walls. He still had his arm around her waist, and he guided her to the couch.

They both sat down, facing each other. His left leg was under his body, and her left leg was slightly against his right leg. "What if your fiancée comes up here?" she asked.

"First, she's no longer my fiancée, so please don't call her that, second, she's never come up here as far as I know, because she's afraid of the spiders, and the dirt, and the dark, and the smell, and do I need to continue?" he asked.

"Hmmm," Hermione said with a hint of sarcasm, "not an outdoor type of girl, huh, Malfoy?'

"No, more like a bedroom type of girl, Granger," he said back.

She hit his arm and moved slightly away from him. "More information than I needed to know, Mr. Malfoy."

"Don't be bashful, Granger, I'm sure you're good in bed, as well," he said.

She stood up and said, "You might never get to know," and she started toward the door. She had just opened it when he came up behind her and slammed it shut, pushing her body up against the door by pressing his hard body next to hers.

"Don't say things you don't mean, Granger. I predict I'll have you in my bed, or yours, before the new year," he said haughtily, with a raise to one eyebrow.

She smiled widely and said, "Either you have a very low opinion of me, or a very high opinion of yourself."

"A bit of both, I'm afraid," he said, putting his face close to hers and meeting her smile.

"If you keep insulting me, I'll bet you even money you'll never get to sleep with me," she said, putting her hands on his chest, as she tried to push him away.

"I'll take that bet, and instead of even money, I'll raise the stakes to double or nothing," he said to her, with his lips now trailing kisses down her neck to her collarbone.

She proceeded to push him completely away from her, and he stumbled back, almost falling. She laughed and said, "I don't think I'll take that bet, because I want to sleep with you probably as much as you want to sleep with me." That statement made him smile so wide he looked like a Cheshire cat. However, his smile faded as he reached for her, but she had already opened the door and started running down the stairs. She called after him and said, "Come see me when your fiancée is gone!" She ran out of sight and he smacked the doorframe with both hands, and then hit his head on the same wall.

"You're killing me, truly, you are, Granger," he said to her, although she was already out of sight.

_Coming Up: Winter Wonderland_


	12. 12: Winter Wonderland

**all characters belong to JKR**

**12 - Winter Wonderland:**

Several days passed and Hermione had not seen or heard from Draco. She was still unpacking, so at least she was busy. Her mum told her that she was spending Christmas with Professor Cummings and his children and grandchildren. Hermione was invited, but she declined. Her father invited her to spend Christmas with his new wife and him as well, but she declined that offer, also. Her mum told her she simply could not spend Christmas alone, but she assured her mum that she would be fine.

She had assumed she would spend Christmas with Draco, but now she was beginning to wonder if that was just a pipe dream. Christmas was two days away, and since she had not heard from him, she was ready to spend the holiday by herself.

She was spending the day in the little attic, painting a landscape, when there was a knock on her door. She ran down the folding stairs, hoping it was Draco. She looked out the little window on the door, and saw him standing on her threshold, with a Christmas wreath in his hands.

She opened the door and said, "I'm not interested in buying Christmas wreaths, sir, so you should leave."

"But these wreaths aren't just ordinary wreaths," Draco, who picked up on her joke, continued, "they're magical."

She folded her arms in front of her and said, "Do tell."

He wasn't prepared to continue, but he did, "Well, if you put one on your door, you're guaranteed a very Happy Christmas."

"How much do they cost?" she inquired.

"A kiss, just a simple little kiss," he expounded.

She leaned over and kissed his cheek and said, "May I have my wreath?"

"Sorry, this wreath is one of our newest models, so it requires a bigger kiss than that," he said.

She shut the door in his face. She looked back out the window and smiled at him. He knocked again.

"Yes?" she said, opening the door.

"For you, I'll give you this magical wreath for a kiss on the lips."

She leaned over, with her hands on the doorframe, and kissed his lips. As her lips touched his, he dropped the wreath and put his arms tightly around her body. She let go of the door and put her hands on the sides of his face, moving them to his neck.

When they parted, she looked at the poor wreath lying on the porch, and she said, "I hope it's not too damaged, or I'll expect another."

He kissed her again and said, "That would require more than a kiss." She wiggled out of his arms, and put the wreath on a nail on the door. She walked in the little cottage, and he followed.

"Why haven't I seen you this past week?" she asked.

"Eleanor," was his vague answer.

She glared at him and he smiled. He still loved her glare. He crossed over to sit on the couch and said, "She didn't go to the South of France after all. She's still been at the house. She had a lot of packing to do. She's planning on leaving today."

"Really?" she asked, sitting on a chair by the couch.

He patted the couch beside him. She shook her head no. He got up and pulled her from the chair, sat in the chair, and pulled her down on top on his lap.

"So, little girl, what do you want for Christmas?" he asked.

"Are you Father Christmas now?" she asked amused, putting her hand on his cheek.

"Why not? I could handle working one day a year," he laughed.

"Do you even work that much?" she grinned.

"You're just the funniest witch I've ever met," he said dryly, adding, "Seriously, are you going to your mum or dad's for Christmas?"

"No, I'm staying here," she said, looking at his hand, which was rubbing her thigh.

"By yourself?" he asked, planting little kisses on her neck.

"Unless you can think of someone who might want to join me." She had her hands on his shoulders, and her upper body turned to face him.

He kissed her collarbone, and his hands held her firmly on the back. He leaned her over the arm of the chair, hands still on her back, and kissed her soundly once more on her beautiful, waiting mouth.

She was practically lying across his lap, and he placed one hand under the front of her jumper, moving it up slowly toward her breasts as he kissed her. It dawned on him that he had not yet touched her breasts, let alone seen them, or tasted them. He was about to remedy that when there was another knock on her door.

He looked at her, and her face appeared flushed. He asked, "Are you expecting company?"

"No, are you?" she quizzed, standing up and pulling her shirt down.

He stood also and said, "Let's go see who it is." He opened the door and on her doorstep were his 'former' fiancée, Eleanor, and her brother, Pierce.

"Draco, what are you doing here?" Eleanor asked.

"I was bringing Miss Granger a wreath," he commented, pointing to the wreath on the door, "What are you two doing here?"

"I wanted to show Pierce the cottage," she said, walking in uninvited. Pierce remained on the doorstep.

"Why?" he asked.

Before she could answer, she looked at Hermione and said, "Hello, again. I trust you will have all your things packed and gone by Christmas. It doesn't seem like you have even started packing yet."

Hermione frowned and looked at Draco. "What's going on?" Hermione asked.

"I would like to know as well," Draco said, as Pierce finally walked in the door.

Eleanor said, "You said that Pierce could move in here."

"Yes, but that was before we broke off our engagement," Draco explained, looking from Eleanor to Hermione.

Eleanor walked past Hermione, and peeked in the kitchen, "We'll need to change the paint colour in the kitchen. I hate the colour yellow."

"ELEANOR!" Draco yelled.

"Yes, darling?" she replied.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" Draco asked, running his hand through his hair. Pierce and Hermione felt like unwelcome outsiders.

Eleanor came up to Draco and put her hand on his arm. "I've decided that our engagement is back on, because I don't want to lose you. You'll get over this little episode. I know we don't really love each other, but since when is love the major factor to a great marriage?" She turned around and said to Hermione, "Now, would you like some of our staff to come and help you pack."

Hermione was seeing red. She said, "Get the hell out of my house!"

"This isn't your house, and don't talk to me that way," the blonde yelled back.

"Maybe we should go," Pierce said, heading toward the door.

Draco decided it was time to intervene. "Eleanor, I haven't changed my mind. I don't want to marry you, ever. I want you to leave this house, now, and not come back. I want you to leave my house and never come back. I don't know how to make myself any clearer."

Eleanor walked up to him and said, "It doesn't matter. I know you think you want that Mudblood over there," and she pointed at Hermione, who was fingering her wand and ready to hex the blonde-haired woman at a moments notice. "You think I'm dense. I know you two have a history. I don't care. You can have her on the side, after we're married. Buy her an apartment in London or something. Just don't have her stay here at our house."

Draco said, "Granger and I haven't even dated," so far, that was true, "And we've certainly never had sex. This isn't about her, it's about me, and you, and what little bit of self-respect we might have."

Pierce came up to his sister and touched her arm. He said, "I'll help you pack your things, come on."

She said, "What am I suppose to tell people!"

Pierce said, "You'll play the poor jilted fiancée, and everyone will feel bad for you, and you can play on their sympathies." He looked over at Hermione and winked. Draco saw the exchange and was not amused.

Pierce escorted his sister out of the cottage and Hermione said to Draco, "Perhaps you should go, too, and make sure she doesn't clear out your home. I might see you tonight, yes?"

Draco held her hand. "Sorry about that, Granger. I really didn't know she was going to act like that. I don't want to go up to the house with her. I don't care if she blows the place to bits. If she does, I'll just stay here with you."

"This place is too small for both of us," Hermione said, half-serious.

He approached her and reached out his hand. He touched her cheek and said, "You have a speck of green paint on her cheek. Did you know that?"

"I was upstairs painting when a door-to-door wreath salesman came knocking," she told him.

He scraped at the paint with his fingernail. He removed most of it, and then kissed the spot where it once was. "I'm sorry, Granger. I do want to spend Christmas with you. May I come back tomorrow night, for Christmas Eve?"

"Yes," she answered.

She was biting her bottom lip. He put his thumb on her lip, leaned in, and kissed the same bottom lip and said, "The only person who should be biting that lip is me."

"I'll save it for you, for Christmas," she said with a slight smile.

"I can't wait," he said quietly. His hand was still on her cheek. He kissed her lips again and asked, "What do you want for Christmas?"

"I want a single man to come and sweep me off my feet," she said surely.

"I can arrange that," he said, with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"A single man, Malfoy," she reminded.

"Yes, yes, leave the details to me," he said, drawing his hand down from her cheek, to her neck, her shoulder, and then down her arm. He held her hand and said, "You realize my feelings for you haven't changed from last summer, don't you?"

"I think I do," she said apprehensively.

"Have yours?" he asked, hopefully.

"Yes, they have," she answered.

He let go of her hand, took a step backwards, and looked at her slightly confused. What did she mean by that? She closed the gap between them and leaned into his body and whispered in his ear, "My feeling are more than they were last summer, if that's possible."

Hermione leaned away, to look at his face. He was happy and smiling. "I'll see you Christmas Eve," and with that said, he started out the door. She watched as he strolled down her front walk.

She ran out the door, down the path to catch him. "Malfoy, what do you want for Christmas?"

He laughed loudly and said, "I thought that was obvious. I want you, and only you, wrapped with a big red bow, and waiting for me underneath the tree!" He kissed her hand and with a renewed spring to his step, he started down the long drive to the big house.

Hermione put her arms around her, to ward off the cold, and said aloud, "Where am I going to get a big red bow?" She laughed to herself and ran into the cottage. She had not been this excited about Christmas Eve since she was a child.

_Coming up: Would you like Rolls with That?_


	13. 13: Would you Like Rolls with That?

**all characters belong to JKR**

**13 - Would You Like Rolls with That?**

Hermione decided that she was going to try to make Draco dinner for Christmas Eve. The optimal word was 'try'. For a woman of massive intelligence, Hermione Granger was a terrible cook. She came by this trait naturally, as her mother was a terrible cook also. Her father, on the other hand, was a fabulous cook. Unfortunately, for Hermione, the only thing she inherited from her father was her curly hair.

She went right out and bought three cookbooks. After perusing the books for over an hour, she had made her menu, as well as her grocery list. She went to the market, bought a turkey, potatoes, salad greens, as well as everything she would need for a mincemeat pie: apples, raisins, as well as nuts and spices.

The morning of Christmas Eve, Hermione woke up at 8:00 am. She decided to start her pie first. She made a homemade crust, which was more difficult than one would believe. After she was finished with the crust, her kitchen looked as if it had vomited a whole bag of flour. She took her wand, cleaned up the flour, and started chopping the fruits and nuts. She turned on the oven and deposited her pie. One task accomplished.

Next, Hermione decided to peel the potatoes. She could not find a potato peeler, so she had to make due with a chef's knife, since there were no paring knives either. After peeling eight potatoes, and realizing there were more potatoes on the peels than in the colander, she threw the knife in the sink, and decided they would have baked potatoes.

She chopped the vegetables and greens for the salad. Thank heavens there wasn't a way to ruin a simple salad. She started to make her rolls next. They were easy. They popped right out of a can. She put then on a cookie sheet, and went to the freezer to get her turkey. She knew it would take several hours to cook, so she should get started.

She took it out of the freezer, put it in the sink, and opened up the cookbook. Step 1 said, _**"Defrost your turkey."**_ 'How do you defrost a frozen turkey?' Hermione wondered to herself. Hermione knocked on the breast of the bird, and it was frozen solid. She went to read the recipe again, and saw that she should have put the turkey out of the freezer the night before. Damn! Maybe she could use magic to defrost the bird. She had to think of an appropriate spell. She finally thought of one, pointed her wand at the frozen piece of poultry, and the bloody thing blew up into a million pieces. Hermione screamed! Well, they would have salad, bake potatoes, rolls from a can, and wonderful homemade mincemeat pie. Unknown to Hermione at the time, sometimes fate has other plans.

Hermione cleaned up the mess and then walked down the little hallway, to go get a bath. She drew a bubble bath, and went to pick out her clothes for tonight. She had put a small tree up last night. She had decorations under her bed, which she pulled out and put by the tree. She thought they could decorate the tree together after dinner, by the light of a roaring fire, and candlelight.

Hermione went back to the tub and climbed inside, where she washed her hair, her body, and then shut her eyes, and without meaning to, she fell asleep.

Draco didn't know what time Hermione wanted him to come over tonight. He had bought a bottle of champagne, and as he was heading back up to his house to get dressed, he thought he would stop by to see what time she was expecting him. He approached the little cottage, and knocked on the door. There was no answer. He slowly opened the door and called out her name. He walked in, shut the door, and promptly smelled a burnt smell. He walked toward the kitchen and he saw smoke coming from the oven. He grabbed a potholder, and opened the oven door. Smoke filled the whole kitchen. He pulled out whatever it was she was cooking, it was in a pie pan, so perhaps at one time it was a pie. He put it in the sink, next to the remnants of a frozen turkey.

Draco used his wand to disperse the smoke and to get rid of the smell. He called out, "Granger, are you home?" Again, no answer. The cottage only had four rooms. A living room, a kitchen, a small study, and a bedroom. There was a bathroom between the study and the bedroom. After searching all the main rooms, he ran up the little steps that pulled down from the closet in the study, to check the attic. She said she liked to paint up there. He climbed the steps and took one look around. She wasn't there either. He walked up to a painting she was working on and he thought it was very good. It was of his house. He turned back around and went to the bathroom door, knowing it was the last place she could be.

"Granger," he said, rapping on the door with his knuckles, "Are you in there?"

The sound of Draco's voice woke Hermione up right away. She sat up in the tub and listened again.

"Granger, are you in there?" he asked a second time, still knocking.

She started to stand up, and said, "Coming," and she reached for a towel that was hanging on the towel bar.

"Did you say 'come in'?" Draco asked, not really hearing her.

"Yes, I'm coming," she repeated, not hearing him either.

He opened the door as she stood on the bathmat, completely wet, water and suds dripping down her body, and the towel not yet in her hand. He stood there and stared, in shock. She stood for a moment, her mouth agape, and she finally had the forethought to grab the towel and scream, "Get the hell out of here!"

Instead, he stayed where he was. What was wrong with him? She put the towel over her body, and knocked him in the shoulder as she ran past him into the bedroom, full of shock and embarrassment.

He stayed in the bathroom, with his mouth still open.

She was pacing back and forth in the bedroom, ranting to herself.

He turned around, walked to her bedroom door, and put his hands on the panels. He didn't know what to say. He thought she said, 'come in', he really did. He felt like a cad. The thing was, he wasn't sorry for what he did. He had pictured her naked, in one way or another, almost since he was 15 years old. The real thing was so much better than anything he could ever have imagined.

Finally, he knocked on the door. She was sitting on the bed, still wrapped in her towel, mortified.

"Granger, are you decent?" he asked.

"Go away!" she groaned.

"Please, may I come in?" he requested.

"No, really, go away. I don't think I can face you ever again!" she said, coming to the door and talking to it as if it was he.

"Why?" he asked.

"You saw me naked!" she reprimanded.

"So, it's not like you have anything in which to be ashamed. I had rather hoped I might see you naked soon," he admitted.

Why did he say that? He was still berating himself, when this time she really said, "Come in."

He wanted to be sure he heard her right, so he asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, come in," she said. When he stepped in, she had a red terrycloth robe around her body.

"I'm so sorry, Granger," he said, approaching her with open arms.

"Nothing's turning out right," she said, sitting back on the bed. He sat down beside her as she continued. "My turkey was frozen solid, and it blew up when I tried to defrost it with magic. I couldn't peel my potatoes, and now this."

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I believe something that might have been a pie was burning when I entered, so I don't think we'll be having pudding tonight, either," Draco said.

Hermione ran from the bedroom to the kitchen. She started stomping on the ground like a spoiled five-year-old child. "I was proud of that bloody pie!" She picked up the pie plate, not realizing it would still be hot, and dropped it on the floor, screaming in pain.

He rushed over, put his wand on her burnt hand, and uttered a small healing spell. She actually started crying, so he put his arms around her to comfort her.

"Does it still hurt?" he murmured in her ear.

"No, I'm just upset. I ruined our evening," she said, her hands holding the front of his shirt.

"It's Christmas, so no tears," he said, taking a hold of her chin to force her to look at him.

"All we'll have is a salad for dinner! Oh, and rolls from a can!" she exclaimed, removing herself from his arms and throwing the pan of rolls across the kitchen in anger. She said, "I'm going to go get dressed, why don't you go get ready, and when you come back we can have a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner of salad. Yummy," she said, sarcastically. She left the kitchen.

He cleaned the kitchen up in a hurry, and apparated to his house. He had an idea.

He came back an hour later and knocked on her front door. She opened the door and looked so lovely, almost as pretty as she looked naked. He put his hand out and said, "Shall we?"

"Aren't you coming in here to eat? I know salad isn't much, but after dinner I thought we could decorate my tree," she told him, pointing to a tree.

He looked at the sad little tree in the corner. "We can still do that, but I have something special planned, let's go."

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Close your eyes and you'll find out shortly," he said, standing behind her and putting his arms around her waist.

The feeling of his breath on her cheek sent shivers down her spine. She put her head back on his chest and asked, "Shall I get my coat?'

"I plan on keeping you warm," he responded.

She shut her eyes, and felt a familiar pull to her navel, which signified that they had apparated. She opened her eyes and suddenly smiled widely. She turned in his arms and said, "How did you arrange this so fast?"

"I have my ways," he said.

They were at his house, in the front sitting room. There was a massive fire in the fireplace, fresh garland and candles everywhere, and a large blue spruce, pine tree, which reached almost to the ceiling, in the corner of the room, already beautifully decorated.

She turned around in circles, looking at all the decorations. There was even a stocking on the mantel embroidered with her name. Well, it said, 'Granger'.

"This puts my plans to shame," she said with remorse.

"I'm sorry; I wasn't trying to show you up. I just wanted to give you a nice Christmas," he said, taking her hand.

She snatched her hand away and turned to him so suddenly, he was taken aback. She asked, "Eleanor isn't still here, is she?"

"Yes, Granger," he said with disdain, "she's just waiting to come sing carols around the tree with us. She's probably in the kitchen making eggnog as we speak,"

Hermione said, "Shut up," but he continued.

"She's upstairs wrapping your present."

"Really, be quiet," she laughed, hitting him on the arm.

"I'm sure as soon as she's done, she'll come down here and hang some mistletoe over our heads."

Hermione put her hands over his mouth and said, "Please!" She laughed aloud, and he bit one of her fingers.

"Ouch, it's rude to bite." She pointed at him.

He said, "Then I intend to be very rude tonight." He took her finger and added, "Let's go to the dining room and have our dinner."

After dinner, they were walking through the foyer to go back to the lounge, when Hermione said, "Show me your bedroom."

That shocked him. He wanted to make love to her tonight, but he wasn't going to pursue the subject. If it happened, it happened. He didn't expect it to be that easy.

"You want to see my room?" he asked to be sure.

"Do I make you nervous, Malfoy?" she asked with an evil grin.

"Of course not, you witch," he said, approaching her.

"You're not a virgin, are you?" she joked.

He laughed hard, almost bending over as he laughed. He stood upright and said, "I think I'm the anti-virgin."

Now she laughed. She started up the curved staircase and said, "Is it up here, your room, I mean?"

He watched as she made her way up the stairs. When she reached the landing, she leaned over the banister and said, "Is it to my left or right?"

Still, he stood at the bottom of the stairs and said nothing. He started walking up the stairs, with a hungry, ravished look on his face. He was on the middle of the stairs and she said, "I hope you have clean sheets."

He glowered at her, and as he reached the top of the stairs, at a full tilt run, he finally spoke. "You better not play with my emotions, Granger. I just got out of a long term engagement, and my feelings are fragile."

"Long term?" she scoffed, "And your feelings are as fragile a piece of lead."

He put one finger on her wrist and moved it slowly up her arm. When it reached her forearm, he put his free arm around her waist. His first hand was now on her neck. He spread his fingers, and started wrapping a tendril of her hair around his index finger.

He kissed her neck, then her cheek, and said, "Don't mock my feelings, Granger. I assure you that they're very real."

She had to take a deep breath to calm herself. Just then, his supple lips started planting light kisses across her jaw, which was unraveling her resolve.

Hermione put one hand on his jaw and grabbed his face. He looked up at her, in surprise.

"I have to ask one thing before we do this, and you have to be honest with me," she spoke with resonance.

He could see she was serious, so he put both arms around her waist and said, "Request anything from me, Granger, and it's yours, I promise you this."

"Are you sure this is something you up to doing?" she asked.

He smirked at her and said, "There have been no complaints thus far."

She laughed and hit his shoulder again. He faked a frown, and put his hand on his shoulder, as if she hurt him.

"Let me completely rephrase that question," she said. "What I meant was, are you sure this isn't just a flash in the pan for you? Are you sure this a genuine emotion that you feel for me? Are you sure you can tell me that this will lead to something, and not just be sex, for the sake of sex?"

His frown was real this time, and he said, "That's more than one question, and it's pretty complex at that."

She stepped away from him and said, "I guess that answers my question. Happy Christmas, Malfoy," and she started back down the stairs. He rushed down and stood in front of her.

"Give me a chance to answer, for Merlin's sake!" he sputtered.

"Okay, answer away," she said, with one hand on the banister and one hand on her hip.

He stood so he was one-step lower. He put his hand gently on her face. "I told you six months ago that I loved you. That was said without pretense or forethought. It was said after we had barely gotten to know each other, but I meant it when I said it. I also told you last week that my feelings for you hadn't changed. I was not lying then, either. So now, the same is being asked of you. Are you sure this is real? Are you sure you won't decide that I'm as disposable as all your other intendeds?"

She looked angry at first, and said, "First, you aren't my intended. Second, I told you I felt more for you than I have ever felt for any other man, including those to whom I was engaged, and I never tell falsehoods, Malfoy. I broke my engagements to all those other men, because I didn't feel half for them what I feel for you."

"So, what do you propose we do now?" he asked, pulling on her hand, and bringing it to his mouth for a kiss.

"I still want to see your bedroom," she said, biting her bottom lip and looking down at the stairs.

He passed her on the stairs, pulling on her hand. He led her up the stairs, and walked down the hallway to the left. He opened a set of double doors and said, "This is my room, Granger. Do you like it?"

_Coming up: The Full Service Tour_


	14. 14: The Full Service Tour

**All characters belong to JKR**

**14 - The Full Service Tour:**

Hermione entered Draco's room and immediately started touching everything in sight. The furniture was dark mahogany, the floors had plush off-white carpeting, and most surprising of all, the walls were beige, and the bed linens and duvet deep crimson red. She fingered the fringe on his canopy. Her fingers danced lightly over the tops of the dresser and chest of drawers. She sat on the bed, and picked up the book that was on the bedside table. She leafed through the pages and sat it back down.

Draco was rather enjoying her tour of his bedroom. She wasn't speaking, but her body language was speaking volumes. She got up from the bed and opened a dark panel door, which led to the bathroom. Through the bathroom was a large dressing room. She walked in his closet, and brushed her hands down several of his jackets. He followed her and merely smiled. He liked that she seemed interested in him and his things. She walked back in the bedroom, opened a set of French doors, and walked out to a patio. The snow was gently falling again. He came outside and put his arms around her. She was shivering.

"Come inside, Granger, before you become an icicle," he said from behind her, kissing her cheek sweetly.

She turned around and walked back inside. Across from the bed was a large white fireplace. Draco started a fire with his wand. Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed, and contemplated her next move.

"Draco, was this the room you shared with Eleanor?" she asked.

He immediately frowned. Why did she have to ask that? "Yes, it was, but I told you, she's gone, and so are all her belongings."

"Ah, yes," she said, standing up from the bed. She opened the top drawer of the long dresser, as if she didn't believe him. He came up and shut the drawer slowly. Her back was to him, but they were looking at each other in the mirror.

He thought she suddenly looked upset.

"What's wrong?" he asked, knowing he wouldn't like the answer.

"Do you have a guest bedroom?" she asked, still looking at him in the mirror.

"Why, do you have someone you want to invite over?" he joked.

She turned and looked at him and said, "I don't want our first time to be in Eleanor's bed, sorry."

"It's not Eleanor's bed, it's mine," he scolded, moving from her to sit on the bed.

"I just think I'll feel awkward," she explained.

"There are four other bedrooms, but frankly, I've had sex in all of those rooms as well. If you want to avoid having sex in a room that I have been with other women, well then, we probably will have a problem there." He stood up and walked closer to her, but did not touch her.

She gave him a funny looking, cocking her head slightly to the side, "What about the kitchen?"

"Been there, done that. It's actually a very nice room to have sex in," he bragged.

"How about the dining room? Are you going to tell me that you've had sex in the dining room?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips, and ready not to believe a word he said.

"Thank goodness it's a strong table," he responded, looking bored.

"The lounge?"

"That goes without saying. There are two couches in there."

"The foyer?"

"You've not had sex until you've done it on the stairs."

"The library?"

He laughed. "You'll be angry at me if I say yes, because you probably will feel sorry for all the poor little books, but yes, even in the library."

"The bathroom?"

"Granger, grow up."

"Fine, I give up, we can't have sex in this house," she said, starting to walk downstairs. She wasn't serious. It bothered her somewhat, but not enough that she would really leave.

He caught her arm on the stairs and said, "I meant it last week when I said no one's been in the attic but me. We could christen that place. It's the last sacred place here in my weekend house."

She grinned and said, "What are we waiting for, let's go?" and she ran down the stairs, through the dining room, through the butler's pantry and up the back staircase. When she reached the bottom of the attic stairs, he was already waiting for her.

"Did you apparate?" she asked, out of breath.

"No, dummy, I came from the upstairs hall," he said, knocking his fist against her forehead, to make sure it wasn't full of sawdust. He then said, "Do you really want to make love for the first time in the attic?"

"Don't you?" she asked, as if it was a stupid question. She started slowly going up the stairs. She turned halfway up and wiggled her finger. "Come on, Malfoy; show me what you've got."

He was never one to back down from a challenge, and that was a blatant challenge if he had ever heard one. He walked slowly up the stairs and she waited for him.

Once he reached her, he took her hand and ushered her in the door. He took off his jacket, and lit a fire in a small potbelly stove that was in the corner. She shivered again. He walked up to her and rubbed her upper arms.

"Cold?" he asked.

"And nervous," she admitted.

"I make you nervous?" he asked, concerned.

"Making love to someone for the first time makes me nervous," she corrected.

He took both her hands in his and said, "Good thing we're going to have sex then, instead of making love." He looked at her eyes, which suddenly lost their sparkle. Bloody hell, he said the wrong thing again. The thing was, he didn't even mean what he said. He didn't think it was just sex, not with her. He was having a laugh. He was just trying to lighten the mood.

She took a deep breath and said, "I don't just have sex, Malfoy. I only make love, and only to people for whom I really care. Maybe I misunderstood your intentions. If I did, then I apologize if it seems that I led you on." She took her hands from his and sat on the couch, and stared at the closed door in front of her.

He sat beside her on the couch and said, "Listen, Granger, I was just trying to have a laugh. It was just a joke. I didn't mean anything. I'm looking forward to making love to you, not having sex. However, do you really think we will have a memorable time up here in the attic?" He reached out and put his hand on her knee.

He had a point, a very good point. Hermione stood back up and said, "Are you going to meet me down in your bedroom, or what?"

"This time, why don't we walk down together? If you keep running all around the house, you'll be too tired for sex, or making love, or whatever you Muggle-borns are calling it these days," he said, taking her hand.

They walked to his room and they both stood there. It was weird, just deciding to have sex, with no spontaneity. Hermione took off her earrings and started to take off her necklace. He said, "Let me help." He walked up behind her and undid her necklace. He placed it on the mantel. He took her earrings from her hand and placed them beside her necklace. He went behind her and unzipped her dress, slowly, running his finger down her back as the zipper made it trek to the top of her bum.

Hermione felt a fluttering in her stomach, and they hadn't even kissed yet.

She turned around and put one hand on his face, and stroked his cheek. Her hand went down to the front of his shirt, where the other joined it. She deftly unbuttoned his shirt, and then moved her hands to his chest. They traveled to his shoulders and removed the shirt down his arms, where it fell on the floor. She bent down to pick it up and he said, "Leave it."

Her dress was starting to fall off her shoulders, so he helped it along. It fell on the floor by her feet, and she stepped out of it. She had on a black lace bra and black knickers, with black thigh high stockings. He took two steps back and said, "You're everything I thought you would be."

"You already saw me naked today, you know," she said, mocking him.

"I was in too much shock earlier to fully appreciate what was presented to me, but I won't make that mistake again," he said wantonly, as he stepped closer to her. He kissed her neck, her shoulder, and then back to the neck. He put his arms around her body and kissed her mouth, gently, but with intent.

She pulled her head back and said, "This will change everything."

He laughed and said, "Poor, Granger, always thinking too much. Of course this will change everything, and that's rather the point, isn't it?"

Hermione initiated the next kiss. She was so close to him that he could feel the goose bumps on her skin. Draco put one hand on one breast and kneaded it slowly. Hermione shut her eyes. He loved that just a simple touch to her breast could cause such abandonment. He walked around to her back, guiding his hand around her stomach, then her side, then her back as he went. He ending up behind her, and unclasped her bra. It also landed on the floor. He bent to his knees, and while still behind her, he unrolled each stocking, first, the right one. He removed her shoe then her stocking, and then went to the left one, where he did the same. While still on his knees, he moved in front of her. He moved his hands up and down her legs. She was staring down at his blond head the whole time.

Draco stood back up and put his hands on her breasts. He leaned in to kiss her again, while he moved his thumbs on her nipples, causing them to become erect. She said, "May I lie down?"

He said, "By all means, become comfortable." He walked over to the head of the bed and pulled back the covers. She sat on the side of the bed. He sat beside her. "You're making me nervous, now," he said truthfully.

She said, "Why are you nervous? I'm the one sitting here with just my knickers on. At least you still have on the majority of your clothing."

"I'm nervous because I don't want to mess this up. I want making love to you to be special; I want it to feel right."

Hermione turned slightly so she was facing him and put her hand on his chest. "Oh you stupid man," she said, "It'll be wonderful, because we care for each other." She leaned forward and kissed him deeply. She pushed him onto his back and leaned over him, kissing him all over, his face, neck and chest. His hands were roaming up and down her smooth back. The feel of her soft breasts, with their hard points, resting against his chest made all the blood in his body go directly to one place, and he was full of desire.

He pushed her back off him and stood to remove the remainder of his clothing. He climbed on the bed beside her and put his hand on her stomach. Leaning over her, he feasted on her ample breasts. He tasted the first one, with its hard nipple. He put as much of it in his mouth as he could. Hermione was growing wetter every second, a prelude as to what was to come.

He gave the second breast the attention it deserved. He kissed down her stomach, while his hands held her waist, resting on her ribs. He said, "Why do you still have on your knickers?" and he looked up at her.

She was biting her bottom lip in that little, sexy way of hers, and she said, "You haven't removed them yet."

He would remedy that right now. He put his fingertips at the top of her knickers, playfully placing the fingers under the elastic waistband. He put both thumbs in the leg holes, and pulled them down her thighs. She moved back and forth slightly as he did this. He could see a glistening of wetness, and he knew he wanted her more than ever, because it was all for him.

He kissed the top of her left thigh, and then her hipbone. His tongue and mouth slid over her hip and across her stomach, to her other thigh, leaving a wet trail in its wake. She softly moaned, which triggered a desirable response from him. As he was kissing the inside of her thigh, purposely staying away from his final reward, his left hand went up to her stomach, and found a breast. He teased the nipple until it was harder than she had ever known it to be.

His nimble fingers were touching places she was begging to be touched. She longed for him.

"Please, Draco," she said softly.

He looked up at her and moved his body flat on top of hers. He said just as softly, "I love it when you call me Draco. Call me Draco while we make love, Hermione." He leaned over and kissed her neck, as her hands were pulling down on his shoulders. He kissed her hungrily, and she kissed him back. He was calling to her with his kisses, and she was answering the call.

Desire gnawed away at him and he was afraid he might not last long, although he never wanted the moment to end. His fingers finally traveled to her heat. He played with her, lightly, just at the top, never entering her. His mouth was still on hers and she bent one knee. He moved so his whole body was on hers, and glided gracefully into her. As they started moving in synchronized time, Hermione's hands were caressing his shoulders and back. Which each stroke, he would come back and kiss her mouth.

She was wet and tight and it had never felt that good…he was certain. The passion he felt was equal to the love he felt, and as he was making love to her he wondered how he could love someone so much, without even knowing them that well.

He started moving faster, and her hands went over her head. She moved her legs up over his body, to bring him closer. He was up on his arms, moving in time with her. He opened his eyes and saw her opened eyes, and they stared at each other. She shut her eyes again and said his name over and over and over. She was clenching her walls, and her legs had moved from his hips and were trembling. She was starting to peak, but he was not ready. He was holding off as long as he could. When he could tell she was finally there, he let go and he screamed something incoherent. He had never screamed out like that before. He was not even aware of what he said. She was. He said her name, not Granger, but Hermione.

Two final thrusts and it ended. It was over. They lay beside each other with the sweet smell of sex mingled with sweat. He was the first to start to move. His hand came to rest on her stomach, and he pulled her closer. She moved to her side and put her hand on his chest, with her head on his shoulder. Draco put his arm tightly around her.

He said, "I can do even better, I'll show you later."

She laughed and said, "Fine, later, but I have to sleep now."

"So," he said, "you're one of those people that have to sleep after sex, so typical."

She hit his chest and said, "What do you want to do, go play a board game or something?"

"A board game?"

"I'm delirious from sex, I can't think of any witty responses right now," she responded.

He sat up and looked down at her with her closed eyes. She was breathing steadily. He lay back beside her, on his side, and stroked her hair and face. He continued to look intently at her. He wanted to memorize every bit of her. He finally reached down, pulled up the covers, and brought her back over to his chest.

"You sleep, Granger," he said in a whisper, not knowing if she could hear. "You sleep, but don't you dare ever leave me."

She opened her eyes and put her hand on his stomach, which surprised him. Without looking in his face she said, "I won't."

_Coming up: What kind of Present is that?_


	15. 15: What kind of Present is that?

**All characters belong to JKR**

**15 - What kind of Present is that?**

Hermione woke up with the sun shining in the room, right in her eyes. She sat up and for a moment forgot where she was. She reclined back down, and put her hands over her head and stretched. She was in Malfoy's house, in Malfoy's bed, on Christmas day, no less. Life was good. She looked around for him, saw the bathroom door was ajar, and she heard the shower running. She looked at the clock on the mantel and saw it was still very early, only 7:17 am. She curled back down on her side and shut her eyes.

Draco climbed out of the shower and put a towel around his waist. He went to his closet to collect some clothing. He could not believe they made love last night. After the first time, they made love twice more. It was more glorious each time. He put on a green jumper and a pair of jeans, and sat on a chair in his dressing room to put on his shoes. He wondered if she was still sleeping. He had a horrible realization. He hadn't gotten her anything for Christmas. He had planned to, just yesterday, he was going to go to her cottage, find out what time she wanted him over for dinner, and then go out shopping and buy her something. Then, she had to burn her food, and he had to see her naked, and he all but forgot his plans, when he had to plan dinner at his house.

Damn, bloody hell. He looked around his closet, as if he could find something in there to give her. Too bad Eleanor did not leave any clothing behind. He laughed at that thought, knowing that Granger would hex him into next week if he gave her something that belonged to Eleanor. Knowing Granger, she probably handmade something for him, and had it wrapped and ready for him under the tree.

He felt like a cad. He would disapparate downstairs, and located something in his house that he could transfigure into a present. He went down to his library. She had never been in there. He saw the perfect gift for her. It was a painting by a local artist, of this very house. Surely, she would appreciate it, since she loved art so much. He transfigured a small box into a larger one, transfigured a simple piece of string into a bow, and put the bow around the box. He was just about to take it upstairs to her when he heard her call out his name.

While the shower was still running, Hermione suddenly sat back up in the bed. She was about to go into the bathroom, to wish him a very happy Christmas, in the shower, when she had a horrible thought. She didn't get him anything for Christmas. She was going to, she really was, right after she cooked him dinner. That turned out so wrong, and she totally forgot her plans. He probably had a big present for her under his tree at that very moment. She decided to get up, get dressed, and apparate to her house. Surely there was something there she could give him.

When she arrived home, she decided to take a shower. She got dressed and went up to her attic. She had been painting a picture of his house, mostly from memory, for the last week and a half. It was almost finished. He wouldn't know the difference. She transfigured some parchment into wrapping paper, and wrapped the painting for him. She apparated back into his house, right into the living room, and put her present under his tree. Then, she called out his name.

Draco apparated back upstairs from the library, and when he heard her calling his name, he came running down with the painting safely in the box, behind his back.

He thought she looked so pretty, standing by the tree, in a red sweater. He had on a green one, so it was appropriate that they were in not only Christmas colours, but also the colours of their former houses in school. She also had on a simple black skirt. Her hair was back, and she looked so sweet and simple. Why had he never noticed how pretty she was when they were young? He always knew she was lovely, but not this pretty. He just recently discovered that.

"Did you sneak off to shower and change?" he asked.

"Well, yes, but I also had to go get your present," she said. She handed him her gift. He handed her the gift that was behind his back.

"This one is yours," he said, swapping presents with her.

As they handed each other their presents, simultaneously, they both said, "You didn't have to give me anything." They laughed that at the fact that they both said the same thing at the same time.

He opened his first, as it was wrapped, but not in a box. It was the painting, of his house, that he found up in her attic. "Did you paint this?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, I hope you like it," she said bashfully. He grabbed the box out of her hand just as she was about to open it.

"What?" she asked confused. He felt stupid. He couldn't give her almost the same thing she gave him. In addition, she actually painted this for him. She apparently put some thought into the whole thing. He went into his library and took a painting, which wasn't even as good as the one she did, off his wall, and was going to pass it off as a present for her.

"I can't give you this now," he admitted.

She tried to grab it back, but he held it high above her head. She jumped several times and said, "Give me my present!"

"Sit down, Granger," he asked. She sat on the couch. He put the present on the floor. "I have a confession. I forgot to get you a present. I had planned to buy you something yesterday afternoon, but I forgot about it when I came back here to plan dinner. I feel badly, because I was going to pass off something that I found here in my house as a present for you."

Hermione felt extremely guilty. Should she confess to him as well? "No harm done," she decided to say.

He sat beside her and picked up the painting she painted. "You're a wonderful artist. This is a great present. I admit I saw this in your attic yesterday when I was looking around your house for you, and I can't believe you painted his just for me." He was still looking at the painting when she stood up and cursed.

He put the painting down and stood as well. "No reason to use such language, Granger. I'm good for the present," he joked.

"No, it's just that you've reduced to me lying, and now I feel awful," she confessed.

He was perplexed, and asked, "How did I reduce you to lie?"

"Well, you didn't make me lie, but unbeknownst to you, you've made me feel bad about the whole thing," she stammered. "I didn't paint that for you. It is not even complete. I was going to go buy you something after I had dinner started, but then you know what happened next, and I forgot as well."

He stood up and laughed hard. "We're both a couple of pathetic liars."

She said, "Are we pathetic because we lied, or do you mean that we're pathetic at lying?"

He thought for a moment, and said, "I meant the latter, but the former applies as well."

"What's in the box, may I ask?" she said, pointing toward the present he was going to give her. He shrugged and gave it to her. She opened it and looked confused. "Who painted this?' she inquired.

"Hell if I know, it came with the house," he was afraid to say.

"Malfoy!" she yelped, putting the painting down and practically attacking him with a sofa pillow. "I gave you a painting that I did myself, and you give me a painting, which isn't even very good, by an unknown artist?"

He grabbed the pillow from her and held her back to his front, with her arms pinned to her sides and his arms tight around her body. He said, "Calm down, Granger. May I point out, the painting you gave me isn't even complete, and you admitted it wasn't even for me, so get off your high horse." She struggled in his arms as he finally turned her around.

He tried to kiss her mouth, but she moved her head, acting as if she was angry. He kissed her cheek instead, and she leaned her body back as far as it would go with his arms around her waist. She put her hands on his chest, pushed at him, and said, "Eww, cooties."

"What the hell are cooties?" Draco said, as he stopped trying to kiss her.

"Pureblood germs," she lied.

"I don't have germs," he said, letting her go as she fell on the sofa. He stood over her and said jokingly, "Please, apologize."

Hermione threw another pillow at him and said, "Everyone has germs, Malfoy, even you, and the technical word for the germs of a pureblood is 'cooties'. You can look it up if you don't believe me." The actual definition of a 'cootie' was a form of lice, but he didn't have to know that. She meant it in the Muggle children's term, anyway.

He plopped down on the couch next to her and picked up her hand. He started examining her palm and said, "What are a Mudblood's germs called?" He did not say it maliciously. He was playing around.

She took her hand from his and said, "Mudbloods don't have germs either, Malfoy." She stood up and walked over to the tree, and fiddled around with a glass ornament, moving it from one branch to another.

"Come here for a minute, Granger," he implored.

"I think I need to get going, actually. My mum is expecting me by noon," she said, turning to look at him.

"It's not even 8:30 yet," he complained.

"So?" she said, turning back to the tree, and switching two more ornaments.

"Come sit by me, and we can have some breakfast by the tree," he asked.

"Aren't you afraid of my Mudblood germs?" she asked sarcastically, moving around to the other side of the tree, so he could not even see her.

"Hell, if I was afraid of Mudblood germs, I wouldn't have had sex with you last night, three times I might add," he said, standing up. He walked around to the other side of the tree, and saw her in front of the frosted windowpane, with one hand on the cold glass.

"You had sex with a Mudblood last night, and I made love to, what I assumed, was a wonderful man. Seems we had different evenings last night, even though they were spent together," she said, as he walked near her.

"Granger, I was having fun again. When did you lose your sense of humour, and fun?" he implored.

She turned to face him and said, "I never had fun when someone called me that name. Actually, you were the only person in my life who had ever called me that. I'm glad at least one of us enjoyed it." She turned back toward the window.

"I made love to a wonderful, beautiful, smart, incredible woman last night, and I have cooties," he said with a smile. She turned back around and hit his arm lightly.

"Why are you like that?" she asked sincerely.

"You mean, why am I so devilish handsome and good in bed?" Malfoy asked slyly.

She gave him a disapproving look and he amended his statement, "I don't know why I say half the things I do. I think I say things about people before they have time to say things about me. It's a defense mechanism."

She stepped closer to him and put her cold hand, which was just on the window, on his cheek, and he didn't even flinch. "Well, stop it," she demanded, "And that can be my Christmas present."

"Yes, Granger," he said, taking her hand off his face and wrapping it in both of his. He pulled her closer and slowly kissed the side of her face. He moved his lips, with little hesitant kisses, toward her mouth. When he reached his destination, he sucked on her bottom lip, and then licked her lip, before entering his tongue in her mouth. Their tongues danced, as she put her hands around his waist, and his arms went over hers. He leaned away and asked, "how long will you be at your mums?'

"Until after New Year's day," she admitted.

He stopped kissing her, dropped his arms from around her, and moved to the center of the room. "No!" he shouted and stomped his foot like a child, "That is not at all acceptable."

She smiled and said, "However that is how it is to be. My mum is getting married on New Year's Eve. I have to be there."

"So go today, visit, have eggnog, meet the new step-siblings, and then come back tonight, we'll shag some more, and I'll escort you to the wedding on New Year's Eve," he expelled.

"Malfoy, I have to go today, and then I have to go to my dad's tonight, and then I have to spend some time with my mum before her wedding. I'm sorry, but that's the plan." She was moving her head back and forth and walking closer to him.

"You're selfish," he said pointing at her.

"Why would you say something mean like that?" she asked.

"Because, you aren't considering my feelings at all! I broke off an engagement for you, and you won't even spend Christmas day with me," he said. He thought his argument had some merit. He thought wrong.

"What!" she shouted, "Hopefully you broke your engagement because you didn't love your fiancée, not because of me. Also, it's laughable that you of all people would call me selfish, Malfoy!" She stormed up the stairs, grabbed her coat, ran back downstairs, ran out the door, and didn't look back. He stormed up the stairs as well. He kicked the door. He moved over to look in the fireplace, and saw she left her earrings and necklace on the mantel. He was about to throw them in the fire, when he hissed and cursed. She had such a good point, that he was ashamed to admit it. He took her jewelry, and started running down the stairs. He just reached the bottom step when she rushed back in his door.

"Did you forget these?" he asked holding out her things to her. She walked up to him and took her jewelry, and put them in her pocket.

She said, "No, I came back to tell you that my mum told me to invite you to the wedding, and I really would like you to come. I don't want to fight."

"I don't want to fight," he echoed.

"Then let's not fight," she reasoned.

"Like it's just that easy?" he asked.

She came up to him, dropped her coat on the floor, and put her arms around his neck and her cheek against his shoulder. "It could be that easy, if we want," she proclaimed.

He put his arms around her and said, "Do I really have to wait until New Year's Eve to see you?"

She looked at him and said, "That should give you ample time to buy me a great present. I'll owl you the time and place of the wedding. Is that acceptable?"

He glared, a habit he picked up from her, then sighed and said, "I'd be a right bastard if I didn't agree, wouldn't I?"

She jumped up and down in excitement, and said, "You're a right bastard anyhow, Malfoy, but I still like you," and she hugged him so hard that he thought she broke a rib or two. He was being crushed, and close to death, but what a way to die. She stopped hugging him and kissed him once more on the cheek and said, "Happy, happy Christmas, Malfoy!" She bent down, picked up her coat and said, "See you in a week!" and she dashed out the door.

He watched as she ran out the door and then disapparated away. He said to himself, "At least she said she likes me." He started to close his door, when he heard a pop behind him. He turned back around and she had returned, this time without her coat in her hand. She ran back out to the porch, threw her arms around him again, kissed his cheek once more, and said, "I forgot to tell you something! I love you." She smiled, so sweetly, and waved one last time and disappeared.

He touched his cheek, and said aloud again, but still to himself, "She loves me. Well, I love her, too." He turned around for what he thought would be the last time, but he heard another pop. He smiled before he even turned around that time. He was going to tell her he loved her, too, even though he had already said it twice before. When he turned around, however, it was not Granger on his doorstep.

_Coming up: Meet the Parents_


	16. 16: Meet the Parents

**All characters belong to JKR**

**16 - Meet the Parents:**

These were the last people Draco wanted to see, especially on Christmas day. Draco almost shut the door in their faces. He really did. Well, the fact is that he tried, except his father put his foot in the door. "Aren't you going to invite us in, Draco, its Christmas after all."

Draco held the door open and said, "Hello, Father, Mother, and Happy Christmas, and to all a goodnight, for you caught me on my way out." He was lying, but they would never know.

"Without your robe or an overcoat?" his father asked. "Draco, if you must lie, please try to be more convincing."

His mother walked in and said, "I don't know how you can stand to live in this hovel, darling."

Draco shook his head and said, "This hovel had 13 rooms, and 4 bathrooms, Mother. It sits on 20 acres."

"Exactly," she said, coming up and kissing his cheek.

His parents automatically went into the lounge. He followed. His father sat on the couch and smirked, "Nice painting." He was holding the painting Hermione painted.

"I thought so, Father," Draco said, strolling over to collect the painting from his hands. He put in against the wall on the other side of the room. His mother sat beside his father, and Draco pulled up a chair.

"Draco, have your house elves bring me some tea," Mrs. Malfoy instructed.

"I don't have house elves, as you've been told numerous times. I have servants, and I gave them Christmas day off. I'll get your tea."

He stood to leave the room and his father said, "Sit down, Draco, your mother and I aren't here on a social call."

"Gee, and its Christmas and all," Draco answered back.

"Mind your tone, boy," his father said.

"Yes, sir," Draco said with a sarcastic tone, "But I would like to point out that I am almost 28 years old, so I am no longer a boy."

His father let out a sarcastic laugh and said, "Fine, point taken, **boy**, now, we are here about your broken engagement."

Draco said, "My, but good news travels fast."

"Draco, you know we adored Isabelle," her mother said.

"Mother, if you adored her so much, you would remember that her name was Eleanor, and you only met her once." Draco rolled his eyes.

"That's beside the point," Lucius Malfoy said. "She was a pureblood, from a good family, who was not interested in your money, as she had plenty of her own. It's high time you present me with an heir, Draco."

Draco stood and walked over to the tree, pretending to look at the ornaments. He said, absentmindedly, "I thought I was your heir."

Lucius stood as well and said, "Draco, you will patch things up with her, and get married next summer, as was planned, do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal, Father," Draco said, turning to face the man, "But allow me to explain to you what will really happen. I no longer need your money, as of age 25 I came into my trust fund from both Grandfather Malfoy, and Grandfather Black. If I never see a Knut of your money, I'll be fine." Draco walked over and sat back down. He continued, "Second, even though your marriage was arranged, and you are a first class bastard, I happen to know my mother loves you, and you love her. I will marry for love. I didn't love Eleanor."

His father threw his robe off, and sat back down on the couch. "Why did you become engaged, then?" he finally asked his son.

"I was hurt and on the rebound, from a romance I had last summer. This woman and I have reconnected, and therefore, I could no longer find myself engaged to Eleanor. It wasn't fair to either of us," Draco explained.

His mother sat forward in her seat and said, "Who is this young woman, and when shall we meet her?"

Draco knew he would have to tell them eventually. "You've met her before, she's even been at the manor," Draco knew it was cruel to add that part, but he stood and continued, "I went to school with her. Her name is Hermione Granger."

His mother gasped and his father stood up and yelled, "NO!"

"Yes, I'm afraid so," Draco said, not backing down.

"Draco Malfoy," his father said, "You will not marry some Mudblood friend of Harry Potter's. I forbid it!"

His mother stood beside her husband. She said, "Draco, think about things. You can not possibly marry this girl!"

"I never said we were getting married, I merely said that I was with her," Draco pointed out, "and I love her, mother."

Draco's father was putting on his robe. He was starting to leave, and his wife followed. "This is folly, Draco! Have fun with your Mudblood whore, but never marry her. If you do, you will be disinherited by me, so make your choice wisely." He grabbed his wife's hand and walked outside the front door and disapparated away.

Draco stood on his threshold and yelled out, again to the thin air, as his parents had already left, "Happy Christmas, Mummy and Daddy!" He slammed his door shut with all his might. This was turning out to be a bloody terrible Christmas.

He walked into his kitchen to make some toast and to have some juice. He just started the toast when his phone rang. No one ever called him. He only put the phone in when Granger's mum moved into the cottage, so she could call him if Hermione returned. In fact, as far as he knew, Mrs. Granger, (soon to be Mrs. Cummings) was the only one with his number. He dropped the bread and ran to the hallway, to answer the phone.

"Yes?" Draco said in the receiver.

"Draco, dear, this is Mrs. Granger," said the disembodied voice.

"Mrs. Granger, hello, and Happy Christmas." Draco was so happy to hear from a 'nice' parent.

"Listen, Hermione arrived a short while ago, and she's been moping around here, because she's sad she left you on Christmas, so I thought I would invite you to come and spend the week with us. That way, you will already be here for my wedding," she explained, "I understand if you have plans, or if you're going to your parent's house."

"I have no such plans, and I would love to come, if you could give me the directions," Draco said.

Her mother told him where their new house was. She told him it would be fine to apparate, directly to the back garden, as it had a big fence around it. She said she would leave the door to the garage unlocked, and he could enter from there. He told her he would see her in a half an hour.

This invitation was perhaps the nicest thing he had ever received for Christmas. He was also happy to hear that Hermione was unhappy without him, as strange as that sounded.

He packed a suitcase, and went back in the kitchen to finish his juice. He locked up his house, set some 'anti-parents' wards, and disapparated. He arrived in the back garden. He found the back door to the garage, and let himself in. There was a door, which he assumed led to the house. He was about to knock on the door, when the sound of sniffles caught his attention. He looked over in a car, and saw Hermione sitting in the driver's side, with her head on the steering wheel, crying. He knocked on the glass window, which startled her. She lifted her head and opened the door.

"What are you doing here?" she asked shocked.

"Your mother invited me," he said, as he started to climb in. She scooted over.

He shut the door and she said, "Isn't my mum wonderful."

"Yes, I can say without pretense that your mum is wonderful," Draco said sincerely. She took his hand. Her hands were freezing. He put them under his coat and said, "You're turning into that icicle again, Granger. We should go in."

"Let's stay out here for a while. There are a million people in there, and I don't know a soul save for Mum and the professor. He has seven children, Draco. Seven!" she exclaimed.

"Scandalous!" he retorted, only half joking. He did think that was excessive.

"He has 15 grandchildren, and each one is a little heathen, but they all appear to love my mum. The professor's wife died 12 years ago, so they're just so happy he's found someone, even if she is a Muggle," Hermione explained. "They are want to ask me things like, 'what's it like being friends with Harry Potter', and 'Did you really battle the Dark Lord?' one even said, 'Is Draco Malfoy as handsome as I always heard he was?' It's driving me daft."

"How do they know of me?" Draco asked.

"My mum loves you apparently, and told them all we were dating." Hermione rolled her eyes.

Draco would never know what prompted him to say what he did next, but he said, "My parents hate you. They came by my house after you left, demanding I patch things up with Isabelle. When they found out I was dating you, they had joint heart attacks."

All Hermione picked up in that sentence was one word. "Isabelle? Who's Isabelle? Do you have another fiancée that I don't know about?"

"See, they didn't even know her name," Draco amended.

"What did they say about me?" she asked.

He didn't want to tell her, and ruin her Christmas. Therefore, he said, "They didn't really say much, they just said that I should marry a pureblood, or they would disinherit me."

Hermione snuggled closer to him, and he put his arm around her shoulder. "I wouldn't want you to be disinherited because of me, but I seriously hope you told them where they could go." She looked up at him. He loved her so. No overreacting, no hurt feelings, she just seemed to understand.

"I told them off good, and told my father I didn't need his money," Draco said truthfully.

Hermione put one arm around his waist, and pulled him even closer in the tight space of the front seat of the car. She said, "Where do you see this going, and please, no defense mechanism responses."

"I hope it progresses into a long and lasting relationship," he said. He was afraid to say 'marriage' for he seriously had reservations concerning that matter. Not on his part, for he would probably marry her today if he could. He just knew in his heart that she was apprehensive regarding marriage. After all, Hermione had been engaged three times.

"I hope for the same thing," she said softly. Her hand was playing with the button on his jacket.

"Hermione," he asked. She looked up at him. "Do you ever think you might want to marry me?"

She sat away from him and said, "I don't know. Why?"

"Because I think about that," he said boldly.

"You do?" she asked, looking out the other window.

He leaned over to her, and put his arm back around her shoulder. He took his right hand and forced her face to him, "What about marriage makes you so skittish?"

She took a deep breath and said, "With Ron, it was just that I loved him more as a friend. With Ian, I think I respected him more than I loved him, but I knew I could never be happy, and with poor Eric, well, I really loved him, you know. He just hurt me so much. Then, I think about my parents. They were married almost 30 years when they divorced. It's not that I'm afraid of marriage; it's just that sometimes it seems to be afraid of me. Things just haven't always worked out."

He was caressing her face and he said, "You have to give things a chance to work out. You won't know if things work out until you give it a try."

"But, we don't have to worry about that yet, do we? Can't we just let things go slowly? Move at it's own pace?" she begged.

He let go of her face and gave her a hard look. "I don't want things to go slowly. I want to marry you. I'm admitting the truth for the first time, and the truth is that I want to marry you. If I could marry you at this moment, I would."

That admission shocked her. She sat back and said, "Wow. I didn't expect that. I love you, Draco, I know I do, but I don't want to get married right away. If anything, I would want to wait until my life is more settled. I need to find another job, and get my own house, and the like."

He frowned and said, "Those are feeble excuses, for if we married, you would have a house, and you would have plenty of money so you would be afforded the time to figure out the job part. If you don't want to marry me, tell me outright."

She looked on the verge of tears. Hermione didn't want this conversation. She told her mum that she wanted to spend Christmas with Draco, that's all she wanted. She didn't want to have a discussion such as this.

She said, "Stay here." She got out of the car and went into the house. Her mum came back out to the garage with her and Hermione had keys. She opened the boot of the car and deposited her suitcase in the back. His suitcase was by the doorway, and she picked it up and put it inside next to hers. She opened the driver's side door and said, "Do you know how to drive?" He nodded yes. She shut the door, leaned over to her mum and hugged her tight. She came back to the other side of the car and sat down beside him. Her mum waved at them both and pushed a little button to open the garage door.

"Drive out of the garage, Malfoy," Hermione instructed, "and turn right out of the driveway."

"Where are we going?" he asked confused. He thought they were having their first big row, but instead it appeared they were planning to take a trip on Christmas day.

"You'll find out when we get there," she answered. She rolled down her window, and her mum came up to the car. Hermione said, "Happy Christmas, Mum, and thanks for understanding. Make my apologies to everyone, and call Dad and tell him I'll see him before your wedding."

Her mum leaned in the car and kissed her daughter's cheek.

Draco started the car, waved to Mrs. Granger, backed out of the garage, and turned right.

_Coming up: What a Way to Spend a Holiday_


	17. 17: What a Way to Spend the Holiday

**All characters belong to JKR**

**17 - What a Way to spend a Holiday:**

The pair started driving, and had been driving for over forty minutes, all the while Hermione was telling Draco what exits to take, where to turn, and when to turn around when he didn't turn when she told him to turn. Finally, she said, "Take this next left, and it's the seventh house on the left." He turned on the street she proposed, which had massive mansions on each side. He stopped at a large brick house, which sat way off the road, with a long driveway. Flanking the driveway were two stone lions. In front of the driveway was a white scrolled-iron gate. Hermione said, "I'll get out and open the gates." She stepped out of the car, said a spell with her wand, and opened the gates as he drove in, stopping far enough so she could close the gates again. She hopped back in the car and said, "Drive on, chauffer."

Before he drove anywhere he said, "Where are we? Whose house is this?"

"Mine," was her simple reply.

"What?" he asked.

"Just drive on up to the portico, right under the front doors, and I'll explain," she said, putting one hand on his thigh. He looked down at her hand, and trusted her. He drove up the driveway, and parked under the large half moon portico, which covered the front part of the house.

He got out of the car, stood, and looked at the house. It was impressive. It was red brick, and had white pillars that went from the ground to the second level. The windows went from the ground to the ceiling of each floor. There were topiaries in the front garden, and a flagstone walkway that led from the portico to a large fountain, which sat in the front garden. She took the car keys from him, unlocked the doors, said another spell, and said, "Come in."

He stepped in the foyer. The floor was green marble, and the walls had green scalloped wallpaper on top of white wainscoting. To the right, as if suspended in mid air, was a white and dark pine staircase, which curved from the floor up to a landing on the second floor. In front of them was a set of double doors, and there were doorways on the left and the right. Hermione opened the doors in front to reveal a large sitting room, with a massive fireplace, twin white couches and French double doors on each side of the fireplace, leading outside.

"Follow me," she said. She went to the left of the lounge, and there was a smaller sitting room, decorated in mauve and white. She walked through that room, holding his hand, and led him to a music room, which also had French doors leading to a garden. She went through that room, and ended up in an anteroom. Beyond the anteroom was a very large library. There was a set of stairs leading upstairs between these two rooms. Behind the backstairs was a small powder room.

Hermione led him through the music room, and they came back to the foyer. They walked straight through, went through a door to the right of the stairs, and found a small dining room. She pointed toward another set of doors and said, "Through there is the larger dining room, which leads back to the lounge. The door on the opposite wall leads directly to the kitchen. Above the kitchen are two servant rooms. Upstairs are six bedrooms, a trunk room, and three baths. The third floor has servant quarters, as well as a nursery, a playroom, and a schoolroom. Out back are a washhouse, stables, a barn, a smokehouse, and a carriage house." She stopped talking for just a moment and said, "This house was built in 1803, and it has been in the same family for all those years. Most of the furniture and paintings are original to the house."

He was so confused. Didn't she say earlier that she needed a house? Wasn't she living, rent free, in his cottage? "How is this house yours?"

"It was left to me," she said.

"By whom?"

"By Eric, when he died," she said, somewhat sadly.

"Was Eric wealthy?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, as if he should already have deduced as much.

"Did he leave you money as well?" he asked.

"Yes, he left me about four million galleons," she said, somewhat ashamed.

"Whoa," he said, adding, "No wonder you aren't anxious to get married. You're quite the catch. You are probably holding out for a better prospect than me."

She frowned and said, "There are no better prospects, Malfoy. Don't belittle you or me. Also, I'm sure four million is mere pocket change to you."

"Defense mechanism, remember," he explained, "So, why don't you live here?"

"I'm donating it to the museum where Eric and I worked. It has a long and important history in our world. Eric was a pureblood, and with his death, his family line died out, and I think it's important to keep his family name alive," she pointed out. "If I took this house, just to live in, and throw parties in, and the like, all of that would be lost."

He came up to her and hugged her tight. He looked down at her and said, "What was his last name?"

"Beckford," she answered.

Of course, he had heard of that name. He had no idea. "Why bring me here?" he asked, letting her go, and walking around the foyer.

"I wanted you to see what my passion was. I wanted you to see what would be consuming my time and my energy. I still need a break from taking care of him toward the end, but once the New Year starts, this project starts," she explained.

"Does that mean that you don't want to marry me because you'll be busy?" he asked, somewhat put out.

"Malfoy, don't you think it's too early to talk marriage? Why can't we be what we are, and take our time?" she implored.

"How did Eric die?" he asked, sitting on a wooden bench by the door. She sat beside him and took his hand.

"He was in a car accident. Even though he was a wizard, he loved cars. He owned over fifteen of them. He was paralyzed, from the neck down, in an accident. He was totally incapacitated. He couldn't even breathe on his own. He died of an infection to his lungs," she answered, looking at her shoes.

"If he hadn't died, how long would you have taken care of him?" Draco asked.

"I honestly don't know how to answer that. I'm not sure," she said.

"You loved him a lot, apparently," he said, standing to look at a portrait of a little girl in a long white dress. The portrait waved to him. Hermione came up behind him.

"Draco, I can honestly say that I love you more than I have ever loved any man, and that is somewhat scary, considering that we haven't even dated for long or very much," she said, standing behind him and putting her arms around his waist. She rested her head on his back and said, "I promise you, if you give me the time I need, I will be there for you, mind, body and soul."

He turned in her arms and said, "You take whatever time you need, and I won't mention it again," and he kissed the top of her head. "But I want you to promise me one other thing," he said seriously, looking deep in her chocolate brown eyes. "I will take your mind, body and soul, but promise me when you're ready for marriage, you'll let me know. Also, I want to point out that even though we've only been on a handful of dates, and have spent only one night together, we've known each other over half of our lives."

She nodded and reached up with her lips and kissed his. He held her tightly against him and whispered, "I love you."

Hermione held him tightly and said, "I know."

That was not what he wanted to hear in return, but he would take it. She already said she loved him. "So, are we staying here tonight?" he asked.

"No, we're staying at an inn close by. I called them right before we left. Eric owned the inn, so I guess I do now, and I told them I was coming, and since I decided to bring you, I guess we'll both stay there," she explained; as she took his hand and led him back outside to the car. It was spitting snow, small flurries. She handed him the keys.

He pulled his collar up and said, "Catch, Granger," and threw the keys back to her. "You drive. You're a terrible navigator. Perhaps you drive better than you give directions."

They both got in the car and she said, "Yes, it's so hard to turn right half a kilometer after I tell you to turn right at the next intersection," she joked.

She drove them to a little inn and they parked on the street. "Is this a Muggle inn?" he asked.

"No, why?" she asked.

"I wanted to make sure, that's why," he said, without a valid reason.

"Afraid of Muggle germs?" she reflected, with a smile.

He said, "Among other things." He also smiled, to show he was joking.

They walked in and an elderly man said, "Miss Granger, we're so happy you're here. We have the nicest room made up for you. Would you care for lunch?"

"I'm starving, how about you, Draco?" she asked.

"I haven't eaten all day, and usually that's all I do on Christmas," he answered. The man showed them upstairs, and they went into the rather large room.

She sat on the bed and said, "Will you open my bag for me and bring me another jumper, I'm freezing." She removed her jacket.

"Keep your coat on, then," he reasoned, opening her suitcase. Inside was a charcoal drawing of Draco and Hermione, signed by the artist, Hermione Jean Granger. It was in a black wood flame, with a grey matte. He held it up and looked at her. "This had better be my Christmas present," he said, sitting beside her and examining the picture. It showed Draco's face next to Hermione's, and they were looking at each other. "When did you draw this?"

"I drew it after last summer. I was going to keep it, but I decided to give it to you. It's even completed. You can give me the house painting back, and I'll finish it, and then return it to you," she said, leaning down to pick up a jumper. He looked at her and she said, "What? I really am cold."

She put on the sweater and he said, "Why must you always show me up?"

"There are plenty of shops around here. This is mostly a magical community, and I'm sure even though it's Christmas day, there'll be one or two shops open. Go buy me something now," she said, pointing toward the door.

"You're rich, buy yourself something. I plan to take a nap after I eat," he remarked. As if reading his mind, the elderly innkeeper knocked on their door with a tray of food. Hermione was forced to open the door, since Draco had slipped off his shoes and was lying back on the pillows.

After they ate, Hermione said, "I think I'll go down to one of the shops. I forgot my toothpaste and toothbrush. I'm a daughter of two dentists after all, and I must brush my teeth after every meal." She kissed his cheek and went out the door, before he had time to protest. The truth was she had her toothbrush. She had another surprise to plan for him.

He walked out the bedroom door and went downstairs. The inn was more of a Bed and Breakfast. There must have been no other boarders, as he saw no one else around. He sat by the fire, in a big wingback chair, and picked up a paper. As he was reading, he heard a familiar voice. He looked up and threw the paper down in disgust. He stood up, as Eleanor the Ex, was leaning against the front desk, asking for a room. He walked up to her and interrupted.

"This is not the South of France!" he spat.

She turned and said, "I had such a hard time finding you." She threw her arms around him and hugged him.

He pried her arms from him and asked, "How did you find me?"

"You won't believe this, but one of Mrs. Granger's new step-daughter's to be went to finishing school with me, and she called me when she found out about you and Hermione," Eleanor explained. "I guess she confronted Hermione about it, asking if she was aware you were engaged to me, and Hermione started crying and left the house. She said you arrived, and then you both left. She told me Mrs. Granger said you were heading here."

"A longer explanation then I wanted," Draco complained, realizing that must have been why Hermione was crying when he entered the garage. "But it still doesn't tell me why the hell you're here, and before you start talking, let me say one last time, we are no longer engaged."

"Yes we are, Draco, dear," Eleanor said, with a sly smile.

"No we aren't, Eleanor," he moaned.

"According to a very binding magical law, if a betrothed finds herself with child, then an engagement cannot be broken," Eleanor quipped.

Just then, Hermione stepped back in the front doors, with several packages in her hands. She saw Draco's back and she saw Eleanor standing in the hallway, talking to him.

Draco said, "Good thing that doesn't apply to us."

Eleanor saw Hermione enter, looked at Draco, and said, "But it does, my dear. I'm pregnant, with your child."

Hermione dropped her packages, and Draco turned and saw her run out the door.

_(Don't kill me readers. There's a method to my madness and who could really believe a 'witch' like Eleanor, anyway?)_

_Coming up: Which way did she go, George?_


	18. 18: Which Way Did She go, George?

**All characters belong to JKR**

**18 - Which way did she go, George?**

Draco looked disgustingly at Eleanor, pointed his finger at her and said, "Listen here, you two Knut whore, I want you to go to St. Mungos tomorrow, have a pregnancy test, and a paternity test, because I know there's a spell to determine paternity! I'll go with you. If I find out you're lying, you'll regret the day you were born. If I find out you are pregnant, and it is mine, I'll be a father, but I'll never be your husband. They can throw me in Azkaban first!" He ran briskly out the door of the inn, looked to his left, then to his right, and realized that he didn't know which way to go.

A man walked by and Draco asked, "Did you see a curly haired brunette run by?"

The man pointed to Draco's left. Draco dashed down the street of the village. When he reached an intersection, he stood in the middle of the street for a moment, contemplating which way to go. Then he saw her dash across the street, narrowly miss being hit by a car. Draco followed, but had to wait for the car to pass first.

He yelled, "PLEASE STOP, GRANGER!"

She turned around, bent over, put her hands on her knees, and took a deep breath. She couldn't have run anymore even if she wanted.

He ran up to her and grabbed her arm. She stood upright and said, "Is it true?"

"No, it can't be!" he practically shouted.

"How do you know?" she asked, walking over to sit on the stoop of a shop that was closed for Christmas.

He sat down beside her, and said, "I know because we always, and I mean always, used contraception."

"Always?" she pleaded.

"Yes," he said back to her.

"We didn't use contraception last night, and our little escapade was planned. Do you mean that there was never a time when you and Eleanor were spontaneous and forgot to use protection?" she reasoned.

He didn't know what to say to that. She was right. They didn't always use contraception, and he and Granger hadn't used it last night. "I swear, Granger," he said, holding her hand and stroking his thumb over the top, "she's lying, or playing a sick joke. She isn't pregnant." At least he hoped she wasn't.

Hermione took her hand from his and said, "You really aren't sure though, are you? Draco, I can't be the other woman. Professor Cumming's daughter made me feel bad enough because I'm dating you. If Eleanor is pregnant, well then we can't see each other again. I won't be the woman who broke up a family." She stood up but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back down to the stoop.

"No, I won't accept that," he said. "Even if she's pregnant with my child, there has to be a way we can be together. I'll have my solicitor look into the law."

Not willing to be deterred, Hermione stood up once more and said, "Even if you can get around the law, I can't see a way for us to be together right now, maybe later, but not now. Everyone will still think you left her for me, and I don't want the gossip and publicity, especially since I'm trying to open the Beckford house to the public." She leaned against the store's window.

He stood in front of her. He put his hands beside her body, trapping her. He leaned in and said, "You can't possibly think I'll give you up that easily. If you do think that, then you don't know me very well. As far as I'm concerned, you belong to me now, and you'll belong to me forever."

She glared at him and said, "Malfoy, I don't belong to anyone. You love people, you don't possess them." She put her hands up against his chest, but didn't push him away.

He hung his head, resting it on her shoulder. He put his body flush next to hers and said tenderly, "I love you and don't want to live a life without you. Please, understand how I feel. This has been a fucking terrible Christmas."

She put her arms around his waist, and he pulled her body into his, with his arms around her. She held tightly for many moments. Without looking at him she said, "I'll drive back to the cottage. I really don't want to go back to my mum's and face all those people, and I don't want to go to my dad's, because his wife was the other woman, and I can't be faced with that tonight."

He brought his head up and looked at her. One hand came to rest on her cheek.

"Don't give up on us, Granger," he said, with his forehead next to hers. "Don't run and hide. Don't leave me, not yet."

"I'm not leaving you, but I can't be here with her, so I want to go home," she pleaded, putting her cheek on his chest. He stroked her hair with both hands. Hermione looked back up at him and he leaned down and kissed her lips. The kiss started as a tentative, hesitant, sweet kiss, but turned into a plea. He deepened the kiss, and his passion became apparent. His hands went to her face and he kissed her hard and long. He was afraid if he let her go, she might disappear in a puff of smoke.

He put his face in the crook of her neck and kissed the muscle that led from her hairline to her collarbone. He had no control of his hands. One went to her hip, and the other went under her jumper. He didn't care if they were on a public street. He wanted her. He would always want her. She put her head back against the glass, and she cried out, as it smacked the glass hard. He was awoken from his lovesick daze by her little moan of pain. He smiled at her, put his hand on the back of her head and rubbed in back and forth. He said, "Don't hurt your self, Granger."

Draco put his lips back on hers and teased them until they were red and swollen. Her hands were on his back, pulling him close. They moved from in front of the window, back into the doorway. He was the one that was pressed against the door. She leaned as close to him as she could. He put one hand on her bum, and pressed her against his groin, so she could feel how much he wanted her. She kissed him one last time then pushed away. "We can't, not here, not now," she said, as if she just realized what they were doing.

He put his hands on her face once again, and crushed his mouth down on hers for one last kiss. When their lips parted, he still had her face, and her hands were on his arms. He said, "This really is the worst Christmas I've ever had. The only saving grace is the fact that I have you."

"Too bad you won't have me for long," she cried. She removed his hands from her face and she said, "I really have to go. I can't face her. I have the keys. I'll drive back to the cottage. You bring my luggage when you apparate home. There's nothing we can do today. We don't even know if it's true."

"What if it is true?" he asked her with a hurt countenance. 'Please, don't let it be true,' he thought.

"Then you'll handle yourself with dignity, and do the right thing, won't you. Your parents and Eleanor and the whole wide Wizard world will demand nothing less from Draco Malfoy," Hermione stated. After she told him that, it suddenly hit her like a ton of bricks…she probably lost him forever. She finally found her true love, she was finally able to picture herself sharing a life with someone, and then a witch named Eleanor pulled the rug out from under her.

They walked silently back to the inn. She opened the car door and said, "I guess this is goodbye. You should go in and talk to her. Let me know what happens."

He walked up and trapped her by the car door. "Don't leave me, Granger. I have a bad feeling. If you leave me this time, as you did the last time, I will track you down. I won't stop until I find you."

"I'll be at the cottage, I promise," she said, leaning over and kissing his cheek gingerly.

"I don't want you to spend Christmas alone," he said sadly.

"I have to get used to being alone," she said solemnly back.

"No, you don't," he replied, shaking his head. "You aren't alone."

"Okay," she said, getting into the car. She looked up at him. He put his hand on the glass, and she put her hand up as well. She started the engine and drove off, not looking back even once. He watched her leave until she was a speck on the horizon. He stood there, as the snow started falling harder. He didn't even have on a coat. He walked back into the inn and once inside the door, he started to pick up the packages that Hermione dropped. They contained wine, cheese, a book of crossword puzzles, candles and whipped crème. He laughed, but then felt extreme sorrow that they wouldn't be able to enjoy the things she bought. He stood up with the packages, and Eleanor came down the stairs.

"I instructed the Innkeeper to send Miss Granger's bags to the cottage, and to put mine in your room. I saw you sent her away. That was the right choice, Draco," Eleanor said, as she tried to put her hand on his arm.

He moved his arm, as if she burnt him. He said, "I didn't send her away. She left, because of you!" He turned to the Innkeeper and said, "I'll take Miss Granger's bags with mine. Please go up and collect them and then I'll settle my bill." The man did as requested. Draco threw several hundred galleons on the counter, so he could make a hasty retreat when the man came back with their bags.

Eleanor whined, "But, Draco, I came here to be with you. We need to fix this fractured relationship if we plan to have a baby together."

Draco frowned at her and said, "I already told you what we're going to do about that. I'll see you at St. Mungos tomorrow morning, right at eight in the morning. I'll have my own personal healer meet you there."

"DRACO MALFOY!" Eleanor yelled, "I just got here and I have no plans to leave!"

"Eleanor Huntington!" he mocked, "That's the reason I'm leaving!" The Innkeeper brought their luggage to him, and he grabbed them and the sacks Hermione had dropped and said, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Before he could disapparate, Eleanor said, "I know you won't believe this, because we don't love each other, but we'll be happy, and we'll have a wonderful life."

He put the bags down and said, "Don't you want more, Eleanor? Even you deserve more. You deserve a man who loves you."

She asked, "Do you love her?"

"Yes, I do. I thought I lost her once, and I can't lose her again," he said truthfully. "Eleanor, don't make me hate you. I don't want to end it that way. You're still a wonderful girl, and someday someone will love you as much as I love her, I know that for a fact."

"If Hermione hadn't come back into your life, would you have still married me?" Eleanor asked.

He sat on the couch, and patted the place next to him. She joined him. "I really don't think so. It's not the way it should be. Hermione once said you should only marry someone if you can picture yourself with them forever, and I can't picture myself with you like that."

"But you do with her?" she asked sadly.

"Yes, I do," he answered.

Eleanor started to cry. Draco put his arm around her. "Don't cry. I don't want to hurt you," he said.

"I'm not pregnant. I thought that would force you to leave her, so I lied," she said between sobs. "Why did I do that? Where is my self-respect?"

"Desperation makes people do strange things," he said.

"I'm sorry, Draco," she said, "Do you want me to go talk to Hermione for you."

"No, I'll go there right now and talk to her. It'll be fine. Thank you, Eleanor, for finally being truthful, and for not dragging this out. I appreciate that." He stood back up, grabbed their bags, and apparated directly to the front of her cottage.

He knew that she wouldn't be there for perhaps an hour, since she was driving. He went inside, and started to make lunch. He even decorated her tree. He unpacked her bag. He snooped through her drawers. He drank some wine.

After making himself busy for almost two hours, he was becoming worried. He called her mum, and she said, "Thank god you called me, Draco. Hermione called hysterical two hours ago, and told me everything. She told me to tell her dad that she wouldn't see him for Christmas, and then she told me she was sorry but that she wouldn't be at my wedding. I have no idea where she is."

'Damn her,' Draco thought. He told her mum if she heard from Hermione, to tell her that Eleanor lied, and that all would be well. He confided to her that he loved her daughter very much, and he desperately wanted to marry her someday. He instructed her mum please to call him the minute she heard from her.

That call never came.

_Coming up: Sincerely, Hermione_


	19. 19: Sincerely, Hermione

**All characters belong to JKR**

**19 - Sincerely, Hermione**

Draco waited thirty-seven days for a phone call from Hermione or her mum. On day thirty-eight, when still no phone call came, he decided to search for her. He told her he would, and he was a man of his word. Why would she just go away, and not tell him? Why would he expect otherwise, when she did the same thing seven months ago. He was beginning to wonder if the real reason Hermione didn't get married, all those times that she was engaged, was because she had a problem with commitment. It couldn't be that she didn't love him, because she said she did, and she didn't seem like the type to lie.

So there it was, thirty-eight days since he had seen her, and he decided to look for her. He shouldn't have waited that long. He should have looked for her earlier. He should have looked for her the day after Christmas, but each day he thought, 'she'll call', or 'she'll show up'. He was a fool.

He thought he would search the Beckford House first, since she said she was starting that project after New Years. He was just about to disapparate, when he saw an owl perched on his front porch. He opened the door, took the letter from the owl's leg, and started to read.

_Dear Draco,_

_You must be very angry with me. I'm angry with me. I want to explain everything to you, but in person. Please meet me at the cottage. I arrived last night. It took me this long to work up the nerve to write to you. Please say you'll come._

_My mum told me about Eleanor. I should have waited. I've been a fool, but let me tell you that in person, so I can hear all your views on the subject. I hope to see you later, just owl me the time. _

_Sincerely, Hermione_

Draco was half tempted to send her a note back saying, '_Sorry, I've moved on, once again,_' but the truth was that he wanted to see her. He wrote a note saying, "_See you in an hour." _He attached it to the leg of the owl, which was still on his porch, and he watched as it flew away.

An hour later, he put on his coat, muffler, and gloves, and walked to the cottage. He could have apparated, but he decided to walk, because he needed the extra time to think. It was dreadfully cold. January was rather warm, but February, so far, was making up for that fact. He arrived in front of her door (his door, since it was his cottage), and was about to knock when she opened the door.

"I thought you would apparate," she said.

"I thought you would be here on Christmas day, so we were both wrong," he said with an air of arrogance.

She moved aside and he walked in.

He wanted to be angry with her, but she looked prettier than he remembered. She looked down right beautiful. He looked around the room and saw that she had packed most of her belongings.

"So you came back to pack?" he asked.

"And to explain," she added.

"After over a month, you want to explain?" he asked, sitting on her couch. She sat down beside him.

"Do you hate me?" she asked.

"Does it matter?" he added.

"Yes, it matters to me," she said weakly.

"I didn't think anything to do with me mattered to you," he said flippantly. "How could you just leave like that? It was uncalled for, rude, and downright impolite."

"Yes, you're right, and I'm not sure I have a valid reason," Hermione said.

"Then there's no reason for me to be here," Draco said, standing to leave.

She put her hand on his arm and said, "Please don't leave."

Draco looked at her hand on his arm. That simple gesture, that simple touch, threatened to open a floodgate of emotions. He took his arm from her hand and said, "Why not, Hermione? You don't want to be with me, that much is apparent. The moment you heard that Eleanor wasn't pregnant, you should have contacted me!"

"I know," she said.

"You know!" Draco shouted, "Well, good for you, you know! Did you really think I would have married her, even if she were pregnant! Just because someone is pregnant is not a good enough reason to marry them!"

"No, it's not," she agreed.

"You can be a father and not be a husband!" he yelled again.

She sat down and said, "I agree."

Draco finished with, "I would never ever marry someone just because they were pregnant! I wouldn't even marry you if you told me were pregnant!" He sat down too, and felt somewhat calmer. It felt good to yell at her. He said, "I've decided I don't even want to get married, not yet, and maybe not ever!" 'There goes that defense mechanism,' he thought.

Hermione thought for a moment. He no longer wanted to marry her, and he said that he would not have married Eleanor even if she were pregnant, because being pregnant was no reason to get married. He thought so, and so did she. Those were his words, and those were his sentiments. "Fine," she started, "I'm glad to know how you feel."

"Why did you ask me here?" he said.

The reason no longer mattered, she thought, so she said, "Just to apologize. I don't want you to hate me."

"I don't hate you," he said, looking at her intently.

"Do you still love me?" she asked.

"I don't know. Absence doesn't always make the heart grow fonder, you know," he lied.

She was on the verge of tears. She wanted to cry. She was a stupid fool, who let her fear of commitment ruin her one last chance at happiness, and now he no longer wanted her.

She stood back up and so did he. "Well, Malfoy, I just wanted to let you know I was sorry, and that no matter what, I will always care for you," she wanted to say 'love', but changed her mind at the last minute. "Also, I'll be leaving the cottage, so you can lease it to someone else. The Beckford House project is starting, and the Museum named me acting curator of the house, and I'll be living in a small house near by, that I rented."

"Good to know," he said, heading toward the door.

He turned back around and she looked so sad, and he did not care…but he did.

"I don't know if we'll see each other again, Granger, but maybe someday on a trip to Italy I might steal your room again, and we can reconnect," Draco said.

"I would like that," she told him.

"Or perhaps you could visit the vineyard again, you seemed to like that," he said with a smile.

"I did like that, even though I didn't take the tour," she said.

He came up and stood next to her. "Be sure to tell your mum I said hello."

"Oh, I will. She was always very fond of you," Hermione said.

"I'm fond of her, too," he said. Not wanting to leave her yet, he said, "Someday you need to finish that painting for me, Granger."

"Oh, yes, I will, someday," she said, looking up at him. She thought he looked pensive. She could tell he did not really want to leave, the way he was lingering. She didn't want him to leave either.

"Well, I should go, Granger. I have to have dinner at the Manor tonight, as much as that pains me to say," he said with a defiant laugh.

"Oh, that would pain me, as well," she said, laughing with him.

"Write me and tell me your address, so I can forward your mail and all," he reasoned.

"Sure."

"Bye, Granger."

"Bye, Malfoy."

"Bye, Granger," he said again, opening the front door.

She stayed where she was and said again, "Bye, Malfoy."

He turned back around to look at her, and took the four steps it would take to reach her, in one second flat. He threw his arms around her waist and kissed her soundly on the lips. The kiss only lasted a moment, but it felt like goodbye, to both of them.

Without another word, he turned back around and headed out the door. Hermione went and shut the door and sat down and cried.

_**Ten months later, December 1st:**_

Hermione was climbing a ladder in the library at The Beckford House. She had asked her assistant to move a set of books from the bottom shelf to the top, but she had yet to do so. Hermione had to do everything herself. The open house for the new Beckford House Museum was less than two weeks away. They were going to have a Christmas Open House on December 12, and Hermione felt so overwhelmed. There was still so much to do. There was a meeting today, in the dining room of the house, with the board of governors of the main museum, and Hermione wanted everyone to be happy and to approve of all they had done to restore the house to its original grandeur.

Draco Malfoy walked into the front doors of the Beckford House. It looked more beautiful than he remembered. The house was restored completely, with reproduced wall coverings, floor coverings, and original furniture. The house was also decorated completely for Christmas. He felt like he had stepped back in time. Hermione had worked hard, that was apparent. He asked a young woman where he might find Hermione. She told him to look in the Library, and asked if he needed directions. He told her he knew the way.

She was up on the ladder, on the second to last rung, when she heard someone enter the library. Assuming it was her assistant, she didn't turn around. She said, "While I'm up here, will you hand me the rest of those books on the floor, so I don't have to keep climbing up and down."

Unknown to Hermione, Draco Malfoy had donated to the 'Beckford House' restoration fund. It was a very large donation, which he gave to the main Museum, and kept anonymous to everyone except the members of the board. In exchange, they named him to the board of governors of the new museum. Hermione, having transferred ownership of the house to the museum, was not aware of that fact.

He walked into the library and as he walked in, he almost laughed at the irony of seeing her like that. At first, all he could see was her legs and her backside, just like that time at the hotel in Italy, over eighteen months ago.

She still had very nice legs and a very nice backside. He bent down and handed her two of the books. She took them from him without a glance back. She must have thought he was someone else. He bent back down and picked up four more books, handing them to her one at a time. She merely reached her hand back each time, without looking at him, as he handed her book after book. Each time he bent down and handed her more books, until soon the whole shelf was full. She said, "Hand me that duster, there's a cobweb up here."

She was so funny. She still didn't know it was he. He looked down and saw a feather duster on the floor. He handed it up to her, and as she was reaching back, she reached too far and she started to fall, so he dropped the duster and put his hands up, to the only place he could to stop her from falling, right on her bum.

She grabbed the shelf, and with his hands still her on her backside, she turned around and said, "Thanks, Malfoy." Malfoy?

_Coming up: Thank you, Mr. Malfoy_


	20. 20: Thank You, Mr Malfoy

**All characters belong to JKR**

**20 - Thank You, Mr. Malfoy**

To say that Hermione was off balance, in more ways than one, would be quite the understatement. She was already shocked at almost falling off the ladder. To discover that it was Draco Malfoy, who had caught her, and it was his hands on her backside, almost sent her into a tailspin.

He pushed her back toward the ladder and she climbed down. Hermione turned around, and Draco was alarmingly close to her. He smiled sweetly and said, "Hello, Granger."

"What are you doing here?" she asked frantically, looking up into his slate grey eyes, and feeling that all to familiar tingle in her belly.

"I was handing you books apparently, and then a feather duster, and then you almost fell, and then I caught you. Any more information I can give you?" he said with a slight smile. God, he still loved her. Just looking at her, so close, smelling her perfume, seeing the light in her eyes, he knew, he was more than smitten. He still loved her.

"I thought you were my assistant," Hermione said, putting her hand on her chest and trying to back up a bit, only to find the ladder pressed up against her back. He was so handsome. More so, she thought. She looked at the smile that crossed his face and she knew that the love she felt for him all those months ago had not diminished. Could he still feel the same?

"Apparently I'm not your assistant. Would you like me to climb up there and get that nasty cobweb for you?" he asked. He was so close. His smell was intoxicating.

"I'll get it," she said. She walked around his body, picked up the feather duster, and started to climb the ladder once more. In reality, she wanted to scream, 'What are you doing here?', but instead, she would let him take the lead. Let him tell her what he was doing.

As she climbed back up the ladder, he put one hand on the side to steady it, and his other hand, with familiarity, went to her leg. It was a pretense, on his part, in case she fell. He really just wanted to touch her leg.

The feel of his hand on her calf drove her mad. As she reached up to swipe at the cobweb, he let his hand travel up her calf to the other side of her knee. She dropped the feather duster again, and looked down at him. He laughed. He kept his hand on her knee, took his wand, and removed the damn cobweb.

"Didn't think of that, did you?" he asked.

"I guess not," she said, almost as if she was out of breath. She put her left leg down one rung, and then her right. His hand was still on her right leg, and as she took a step down the ladder, his hand stayed in place and was now almost on her thigh, under her skirt. Instead of acting indignant, she stayed where she was, facing the wall, still on the ladder.

"Coming down, Granger?" he asked. He turned slightly, so he could look up at her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, looking down at him. She just had to know.

"At the moment, I'm trying to cop a feel. My hand is under your skirt, you know," he removed his hand, and put both hands on either side of the ladder. "Come on down, Granger, before you fall, and we'll have a little talk before the board of governor's meeting."

She started to climb down, but he did not move a muscle. When her feet finally touched the floor, he was pressed so closely up against her body that she could not even turn around. With his body pressed firmly against her back, he leaned forward and said in her ear, "Have you missed me."

She let her head drop to one of the rungs on the ladder. His hands were still on each sides of the ladder. Her hands moved so they were resting above his, touching him. She did not say anything for the longest time. He said again, softly, in her ear, so that each word tickled her skin, "Granger, are you there? Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you," she said calmly, although that was not how she felt.

"Turn around, Granger," he commanded.

"No," she said.

"Why not?" he asked, with his breath on her neck. Her hair was tickling his nose. He put his lips on her neck, whether they were welcomed or not. If she was offended, then she could hex him later.

He kissed her neck, right below her ear, so softly she almost thought she imagined it, she finally said, "I can't turn around, because you're too close."

"Oh," he said with a knowing laugh. He moved away from her and when she finally turned to face him, all the blood had rushed to her face, which was red and flushed. All his blood had rushed somewhere else.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy? And by here, I mean at Beckford House?" she asked again.

Before he could answer, her assistant came in and said, "The meeting of the board of governors is about to start, Hermione."

"Thanks, Catherine," Hermione said. She started to exit the Library to head to the dining room and said, "Please, don't leave before we can talk, Draco. I have wanted to talk to you for so long, I just didn't think you would ever want to hear from me. Please, stay."

"I will, in fact, I'll do one better," he said, walking up to her and taking her hand, which was shaking. He held it tightly and put it to his chest. "I'll go to the meeting with you."

"Oh, you can't, it's a private meeting for the board of governors of The Beckford House Museum. We are to discuss the Open House planned for the week after next," she said, hesitantly, staring at her hand, which was still being held by his. He let go of her hand and started walking toward the dining room. She ran past him and right before he walked through the lounge to go to the dining room, she said, "Seriously, Draco, you can go in there."

He grinned and said, "Watch me," and he stepped on through. There were already several board members seated.

Mr. Dodds, the curator of the main museum, was at the head of the table. He waved at Hermione and said, "Find your seat, Hermione. There are name plates at each seat."

She looked around for her name, and found it, right next to a place card that said, 'Draco Malfoy'. She looked at him incredulously, and he merely grinned again, and raised his eyebrows.

He pulled out her seat for her, and pushed her up to the table. He sat down next to her. Once everyone arrived, they all listened as Mr. Dodds talked about what they hoped the future of The Beckford House would be, and what they had planned for opening week. As he was talking, Draco leaned over to Hermione and said softly, so no one else could hear, "You've done a wonderful job here, Hermione, and you should be proud."

That meant more to her than any praise anyone else had given her lately. When Mr. Dodds asked her if she had anything to add, she shook her head no. Mr. Dodds laughed and said there was a first for everything, which made everyone else laugh as well.

When the meeting adjourned, everyone came up and congratulated her. Draco held back, still at his seat, reading the material that was given to each board member. When everyone had finally left the room, Hermione turned to look at the blond man, sitting at the table, pretending to be engrossed in his reading. What was he really doing here? It had been so long. Was he back? Would he want her again? She almost came right out and asked those very things when her assistant came in and said, "Hermione, my mum came and took the baby for a while, so since I'm now free for the afternoon, do you mind if I go out and do some last minute shopping? I haven't had time to do any Christmas shopping, what with taking care of the baby, and the museum and all."

"No, that's great. Take the rest of the day off," Hermione said to the girl.

"Thanks, I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Will you still be taking the baby tomorrow?" she asked.

"Yes, I told you I would," said Hermione.

Draco stood up and said, "What was that about?"

"She wants me to baby sit tomorrow, that's all. Now, please, tell me why you're here?" she asked.

"I'll tell you over lunch, my treat, but you pick the place," he said.

"Why are you here?" she implored again.

"Patience is a virtue," he said.

"Which I apparently lack, now please, tell me why you're here, besides being here for the meeting," she said, feeling at her wit's end.

He stepped up to her and touched her arm slowly, bringing his fingertips down the material of her blouse, to touch his fingers to hers. He did not quite clasp her hand, his fingertips merely stayed on hers. "Tell me why you think I'm here. No, let me amend that, tell me why you want me to be here."

"I want you to say that you've finally forgiven me," she said so sadly that it almost broke his heart.

"I haven't," he said. Her head dropped. His hand went under her chin and held her head up. "I haven't forgiven you, because there's nothing to forgive. We both did some foolish things; you more so than me, but that doesn't mean that I don't still love you."

"You love me?" she asked.

"I might," he said, stepping away from her and as he said, "What about lunch?"

She nodded and ran from the room, only to run right back and said, "I have to go tell Mr. Dodds, and then get my coat. Meet me outside, in the driveway. I'll be there in a flash."

He walked outside, with lightness in his step that he had not felt in such a long time. He had forgiven her, but she did not need to know that he ever felt ill toward her, therefore forgiving her. He would spare her that unnecessary remorse. His goal today was to see if she had matured, and to see if she could finally commit. If she could, then they might still have a chance at a happy life.

She came running out the front door, and she stepped right out of her shoe. Her foot stepped in a small snow bank and she cursed under her breath. He came up to her and said, "Are you still having shoe problems, after all this time?"

"Yes, it appears so," she said with annoyance. She leaned down and picked up her shoe. She leaned on his shoulder and put her foot back where it belonged, in her shoe, and said, "Do you mind if we stop by my house first, I have to check on something."

"You drive, and that way you can stop anywhere you want," he said. Her hand went slowly from his shoulder to his lower arm, and she hung on to his coat sleeve. She wanted to hold on to his hand. If she did, what would that mean? They hadn't seen each other in so long. Before she could scrutinize the situation further, he grabbed her hand and said, "Where's your car?"

"We can apparate to my house, and then directly to the inn. They have a nice little restaurant there," she explained.

He didn't especially want to go back to that inn, for many reasons. He said, "Why don't I whip something up for you at your house?"

"No, I don't think so," she said.

"Why, do you not trust me to be at your house? Do you not want me there?" he asked, close to being hurt.

She really could not reveal why she did not want to eat at her house, not yet. She had to be sure he was around to stay, first. "That's not it. It is just a mess, because I've been too busy to clean lately. We don't have to go to the inn. There's a really great restaurant the next village over, but it's a Muggle establishment, so we would have to drive, and it's almost 30 minutes away, as it's the next village over."

"That would be fine, if you would drive. I apparated here today," he admitted.

She smiled and said, "Let me apparate to my house, myself, and get my car, and then I'll pick you up here. No reason for us both to go to my house. I just thought you were driving, when I asked if we could stop there first." She waved and popped away. He had no choice but to wait for her.

He put his arms around his body, for protection from the cold, and her assistant ran out of the front door. "Excuse me, Miss, may I ask you a few questions?" Draco asked.

"Of course, Mr. Malfoy," the young girl said. "My name is Catherine Brown," she informed him, holding out her hand.

"It's nice to meet you," Draco said. "May I ask how you know my name?"

"From Hermione, she's talked a lot about you," the young woman admitted.

That was hopeful, Draco thought. "What has she said about me?"

She smiled and said, "That you're the man she loves, of course."

That shocked Draco. She told other people that she loved him. Draco asked, "You mean that I was the man she loved?"

"No, that's not what I mean. Now, I'm supposed to meet my husband, do you have any other questions?" she asked with a slight smile.

"I don't think I do, thank you," Draco said.

"Then I'll say goodbye, and Thank You, Mr. Malfoy!" Catherine said as she ran down the driveway.

He watched the young girl run off and smiled so wide, someone would think he was up to something. Well, he was up to something. He was going to win back the heart of the woman he loved, and who apparently loved him, and he was going to marry her before the New Year, or his name wasn't Draco Malfoy, and she was not a girl called Granger.

_Coming up: Where has your shoe gone this time?_


	21. 21: Where Has Your Shoe Gone This Time?

**All characters belong to JKR**

**21 - Where Has Your Shoe Gone This Time?**

Hermione drove up to the portico to collect Draco. He leaned down, opened the door, and positioned himself into the seat beside her. "This is a nice car," he said.

"Oh, this isn't my car. My car isn't running now. This is Mr. Dodd's car," Hermione said.

"Buy a new car if yours isn't running. You're wealthy, you know," Draco drawled.

Hermione looked over at him and said, "No, my car's fine."

Draco was confused. "Take it to be fixed then, to one of those mechanics," he reasoned.

"Draco, do you want to talk about cars right now?" she asked with a smile.

"No, I don't," he said, because he really didn't.

Hermione started down the road and she looked over at Draco. He was as handsome as she remembered. "Draco, what have you been up to this past year?"

"Nothing really, just trying to mend a broken heart, mostly," he said truthfully. She turned her gaze back to the open road, and a gloomy expression settled over her face. "Hermione, I wasn't going to ask this right away, but why did you leave?" he asked.

"Which time?" she asked back.

To clarify, he said, "Well since you left me three times, once when you didn't show up after Italy, once after Christmas last year, and again a month after that, I'll clarify by saying the second time. Why didn't you go back to the cottage? You said, and I quote, 'I'll be at the cottage, I promise', and yet when I got there, you weren't there. I had made you a Christmas dinner, decorated your tree, and waited and waited and waited. I was so worried. Why?"

She wanted to be truthful, so she said, "I was stupid. I was stupid and scared. I thought we were moving too fast, with all the talk of marriage, and then when Eleanor came to the inn and said she was pregnant, I just ran away. It was a stupid, immature thing to do, and I can't change it now. I actually went to my dad's and he didn't tell anyone I was there. I think he was secretly happy that I would run to him in my time of need."

"Why did you leave the third time?" he asked.

"I wasn't planning on that one. I was moving, so when you saw me packing, I was planning on moving my things to the new house I rented near Beckford House, but I hadn't really planned to never contact you again," she said, pulling down a little lane.

"Continue," he urged.

"Well, it's just you said you changed your mind about marriage, and I thought that included your feelings toward me, so I thought I had done damaged that wasn't easily repairable, so I left. I bolted. It's what I did best, back then," she explained.

Draco said, "Just because I said I didn't want to marry, didn't mean that I wanted to end things with you. For a brave woman, you took the coward's way out." He paused for a while, and looked out the side window, only to turn around when she stopped the car. She pulled over and stepped out of the vehicle. Her back was to the car, and he could see her shoulders moving up and down. She was crying.

He got out of his side and walked around to her. He didn't know what to say or do. He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned into his body.

"I'm so sorry, Draco," was the most she could say. It was enough for now.

"Let's get back in the car, Granger, it's freezing out here," he said, with her still in his arms.

"Why didn't you come looking for me?" she asked.

"Why? You knew where I was. You should have come to me," he complained, dropping his arms from around her shoulders. "Must I take the blame for everything?"

"No, you're right, I'm sorry," she simply said.

He reached out and touched her cheek. He stroked it gently, up and down. She leaned into his palm. He wanted her so much. He wasn't sure he remembered how she tasted, or the feel of her skin, and that sent despair through his being. He didn't ever want to go through life without her. He wanted to have her be his for all time. He leaned his head down and kissed her cheek. Her hands went around his neck. Without further ado, his hands went around her waist. He pressed his body hard against her, leaning her against the car. He kissed his way down her neck, to the opening of her blouse. His hand went to the waistband of her skirt, and pulled her blouse from its place, tucked inside. His hand went up the smooth, soft, silky expanse of her stomach. Skin on skin, he remembered that feeling. His fingertips glazed lightly over her bra-covered nipples. He palmed her breast, feeling her nipple harden to a point. He said, "Granger, can we carry on in the backseat?"

She should have said no, but lord she wanted him so much. She turned around in his arms and opened the back door. She sat on the leather seat and he scooted in beside her. He lifted her legs so they were across his lap. She took off her coat and threw it on the front seat, where he had already deposited his.

He pulled her completely on his lap now, where she could feel his erection against her bottom. He unbuttoned her blouse, and removed it from her body. She had goose bumps. He reached to the front seat, took his wand from his jacket, and said a warming charm over the car. He threw his wand in the front seat and continued to remove her blouse. Hermione unbuttoned his shirt and removed it from the waistband of his trousers. She slipped it from his broad shoulders, running her hands down his arms. He threw it with hers, on the floor. She reached around and unclasped her own bra. Her breasts seemed larger than he remembered. He had to touch them, taste them, make them his.

He put one hand on the middle of her back, and his other hand pinched her right breast, then her left. His mouth found one nub and pulled slightly. She winced. He said, "Did I hurt you?"

"Not really, sometimes my breasts are a bit tender, that's all," she said softly.

He returned to his feast, but gentler this time. He kissed both her mounds, licking, sucking and kneading with his hands. Hermione was busy as well. Her hands were on his neck, his shoulders, and his chest. He came back up to kiss her mouth, and she shifted in his lap. She hiked her skirt up all the way, so it was around her waist. She straddled his body, and kissed him with more fervor than she had ever kissed someone in her life. His hard member was against her wet core. He reached around and cupped her knickered-covered bum. His mouth went back to her breasts and her head fell backwards, to rest on the back of the front seat.

His hand went down the front of her knickers and he let one finger play at the top of her cleft. She wiggled on top of him. He picked her up slightly, so he would have more room, and put her on the seat beside him. His hand went back in the front of her knickers and he entered her completely, with his middle finger, while his thumb was busy somewhere else. She tried to situate herself so that her legs could open wider, but she couldn't move. The backseat of a car wasn't the optimal place for something like this.

He whipped her panties off before she realized it, and his head went between her legs. Her right leg was bent at the knee, and up against the back of the seat. Her left leg was draped over one of his legs, her foot resting on the floorboard. He was between her legs and he put his mouth to her, as she cried out in pleasure. They had never done this. Why? He had wanted to. Now, after ten months apart, they were lovers once more, and it was in the back of someone else's car.

Hermione knew they should stop. This wasn't the way it should be. She was about to come to her senses, when she came a different way. She grabbed the top of his head and started to cry out. He didn't have much room, but he knew he had to enter her now, or he would die. He slipped out of his trousers, letting them rest around his hips, and slid between her legs. He pumped into her as fast and furious as he could. There was no way anyone would believe him if he told them, but he had not been with another woman since last Christmas Eve, when he was with her. He found no need. Once someone finds perfection, everything else pales in comparison.

She climaxed, and after just a moment, so did he. He slipped off her, forced to sit beside her body, in the backseat. He rested his hand on her bare thigh, and hiked up his pants. "I'm sorry, Granger. That could have been nicer, huh? The backseat of a car wasn't exactly how I pictured us reconnecting," he said, almost apologetically.

She took her wand from her coat, cleaned them both up and straightened their clothing. She was not about to apologize, for she wasn't sorry that it happened. She was putting her coat back on, after handing him his and said, "I'm not sorry it happened, and I hope you aren't either."

She opened the car door and went back to sit in the driver's side. He got out of the backseat, shut the door, and then joined her on the other side. She proceeded driving. They drove the rest of the way in silence. He reached out once and put his hand on her knee. She reached down and held his hand. Silence and handholding was what transpired. There were no words exchanged, no explanations, or apologies. It was enough for now.

She pulled into a little drive, right off the main road. There was a little building, which on the outside was not at all impressive. The sign outside said, "The Alpine Restaurant". She looked over at him and said, "This is it. Shall we go inside?" Without waiting for his reply, she stepped out of the car and went up to the door of the restaurant. He joined her.

After they entered, a woman showed them to a secluded booth near the back of the restaurant. A man came up and handed them menus. He said, "How is Granger doing these days?"

"Fine, thank you, Marcus," Hermione replied.

Draco frowned. He didn't particularly like another man calling his 'Granger' by that name. He leaned over the table and said, "Who is that bloke?"

"He owns the restaurant. I come here a lot. I'm a terrible cook, as I know you are aware, and there aren't many restaurants around this area," Hermione responded.

"He called you Granger," Draco said.

She thought for a moment, and realized to what Draco was referring. "Oh, that's nothing," she said, blasé.

Draco was still frowning. He looked over his menu once more and asked, "Have you been dating a lot since you left me?"

Now Hermione frowned. "I have not gone on one date in ten months, Malfoy," she retorted, putting her menu down and folding her arms. He looked like he didn't believe her, but he went back to reading his menu. The owner of the restaurant came back and took their orders.

"Have you been dating a lot?" she asked. Turn about was fair play.

"No, not really. My mother has tried to fix me up several times, all with disastrous results. Every time I see my parents they remind me that I must produce them an heir by the time I'm 30, or apparently I'm out of the will, like I care," Draco said, lightening the mood.

"You still have a little time then," she said. Their salads came and she said, "My mum asks about you constantly. May I tell her hello from you?"

Draco said, "Of course, in fact, why not tell her I'll see her soon."

"When will you see her?" Hermione wondered.

"Won't she be at the Open House?" Draco asked.

Hermione forgot about that and laughed aloud. "Oh, of course, I'm an idiot. Well then, here's to seeing each other at the Open House," she said, raising her water goblet. He raised his and clanged it to hers.

They ate and made small talk. During pudding, he stretched his legs out, to discover her feet were bare under the table. He tapped the top of her foot with his shoe, which caused her to look at him, and asked, "Do you ever keep your shoes on your feet?"

"Bad habit, sorry," she said, fumbling for her shoes with her feet. She found one and returned it to the proper place. She couldn't locate the other. She bent down and looked under the table, and her shoe was missing. He joined her head under the table.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"Where's my other shoe? Did you hide it?" she asked, with a grin.

He did. He wasn't going to admit that to her, however. "Why, you soil the good name of Malfoy with your accusations, Granger. I don't know where your bloody shoe is."

She sat back up and finished dessert. He would have to give it back eventually. The bill came and Draco said, "I know I said I would pay, but at the moment I don't have any Muggle money."

"What a way to squirrel out of paying, Malfoy," Hermione laughed. She reached in her purse and put money on the table. They both stood and he helped her with her coat. She held out her hand. He shook it. She shook her head and held out her hand again. He kissed it. She glared. He loved her glare. She shook her head again and held out her hand a third time. He wasn't an idiot. He knew she wanted her shoe. He knew she wasn't an idiot, either. She had to know he would keep the shoe, at least for a while longer.

"Malfoy, please, it's cold and there's snow on the ground. Give my shoe back," she said, still holding out her hand.

"I really don't have it," he lied. She got down on her knees and searched under the table again.

"It's not down there, now where did you put it?" she inquired.

He shrugged his shoulders. She started to pat down his jacket. He hit her hand away once and said, "You're a fresh one." She reached in his pockets.

She finally said, "We aren't leaving here until you give me my shoe."

He sat back down and said, "It's a comfortable place. I suppose I could stay a while."

"I have to get back to work," she whined.

"Make up your mind, do we stay here, or go?" he asked, standing back up.

She studied his face intently for many minutes. His expression didn't change once. She leaned next to him closely and said, "You're lying. Give me my shoe. I can tell you're lying."

"You can't tell anything. If you could read people's expressions, then you would have known I was lying last February when I said I never wanted to marry," he said, almost callously.

He had hit below the belt. He knew it when he said it, and the sad expression on her face sealed the deal. She walked away from him and through the restaurant with as much dignity as one could muster with just one shoe. She stepped outside, in the snow, with one shoe, and got in the car and drove away, leaving him standing there, outside the restaurant, holding her shoe in the air.

When she arrived back at the Museum, Draco was there waiting. He opened her car door, squatted down, and placed her shoe on her foot. He said, "You really must stop running away when you don't like the way a situation is going, Granger."

Her head banged against the steering wheel, because she knew he was right. He stood back up. She said, "I'm so sorry, for everything, but you said you weren't still angry and I thought you had forgiven me. I can't have you keep drudging up the past, if you want us to have a future."

He helped her out of the car, and when he shut the door, he pressed her up against the car with his body. His hands went to her face, and then traveled down her shoulders and then her arms. He reached inside her coat, and his hands went to her waist. He let one continue around to her back, and the other went up to cup her breast through her blouse. He pressed his body hard against hers; not for once forgetting the way she felt under him, just regretting that he had been away from her for so long. He bent his head and kissed her lips. He played with them at first, pulling at the bottom one, licking the top one. His thigh pressed against her middle, and finally he sunk his tongue in her mouth and slid it over the roof on her mouth, finally to twirl it against her tongue. She moaned at the exact moment that he did.

She put her fingers in his hair. She pulled at his hair, and finally pushed him away. "We're in public," she reminded.

"We were in public earlier in the car, and that didn't bother you," he joked. She hit his arm. "Go out with me tonight, anywhere, I don't care where," he implored, still nipping at her lips. His mouth traveled to her jaw line, then her neck. He slipped his fingertips in the top of her blouse, and played with the skin under her neck, by her collarbone.

"Fine, meet me back here at eight pm. I'll take you someplace nice," she said, pushing him away from her.

"I don't want someplace nice, I want someplace we can be alone so we can get reacquainted," he said, with hooded eyes, "and preferably not in the backseat of a car."

"I know. It will be all those things, I promise. Eight pm. Here." She finally pushed him completely away from her and ran in the door of the museum. When she reached the doorway, she turned around, waved, smiled and then blew him a kiss. He remained by the car, unable to move. When he finally was able, he disapparated and went directly to his house. He had a date to get ready for, and only six hours to get ready.

_Coming up: If at first you don't succeed_


	22. 22: If at First You Don't Succeed

**All characters belong to JKR**

**22 -****If at First you Don't Succeed, Quit**

Draco apparated to The Beckford House right at eight pm, and Hermione was already waiting for him. She was in a different car. He got in the passenger side and said, "Whose car is this?"

"Mine," she said, driving toward the road.

"I thought it wasn't running," he said.

"Draco, do you really want to talk 'cars' with me?" she asked again.

"Yes, this time I think I do," he said, "What was wrong with your car that it's now working well enough to drive?"

"I don't know. It wouldn't start earlier, and now it did. I don't understand the mechanics of it," she implored.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"I want to take you to the new house I just bought," she said. "I haven't moved in yet, but I hope to be in before Christmas."

"What is it with you showing me houses?" he asked.

She frowned and turned to him. She asked, "Do you want to go elsewhere? I mean, I had dinner planned as well, but at my new house. If you have a better suggestion, I'm willing to adapt."

"No offense, but if your new house doesn't have a bed in it, I think I would rather go to your old house," he said, with a smile.

"Oh, Draco," she grinned.

"Oh, Hermione," he mocked.

"So, where do you want to go?" she asked, as she continued to drive, "I have to know where to take you."

"I want to go to your current house, I thought I made myself clear," he said.

"We can't go there," she said.

"Why?" he wondered aloud.

"It's too messy. I told you that earlier," she said.

"With a flick of my wand, I'll have it all cleaned up, so now what's the real reason?" He could tell she was lying.

"I have a roommate," she said.

"A chap?" he asked.

"No, it's a female," she said, with fake disdain, "and she goes to bed early, so I don't want to disturb her."

"Who is this girl?" he asked.

"My assistant. You met her earlier," Hermione explained, turning down a narrow lane.

"Yes, and she told me she was married, so does her husband live with you as well? Wait, didn't she have a baby, too?" Draco asked.

Hermione didn't know what to say now. She never was good at lying. "Fine, I don't have a roommate, I'm lying. I just don't want to go to my current house, okay?" She was becoming angry. She stopped her car. "Listen, Malfoy, we're almost to my new house. Either we go there, or we can go out to dinner, or to our own homes. Which one, take a pick," she said, with a sigh.

"Take me to your new house, Granger," he said, motioning forward with his hands.

They drove up to a big Victorian looking house that was painted in shades of green on the outside. "I approve of the colour," he joked.

They made their way inside, to a white walled foyer, with a narrow staircase to the side. On the right was a large library, decorated in shades of red. To the left was a large lounge, which had pocket doors, which led to a large dining room. Both rooms were decorated in sea foam green and mauve. Down the hall was a family dining room, decorated in gray, and off that was a large white and brick kitchen. Off the kitchen were a breezeway, and a powder room. She took him by the hand started up the stairs. Off the left of the stairs was a master suite, decorated in red toile and beige. There was a large walk in closet and a bath. Across from the stairs was a guest bathroom. To the right of that was a small bedroom, which must have been used as an office, because it was line with shelves and had a built in desk. Toward the front of the house were two bedrooms, one decorated in navy blue and one decorated in pinks, with a nursery theme border. Actually, there was already a crib and a rocking chair in that room.

"They left some furniture behind," Draco said, pointing to the crib.

"Oh, yeah, I guess they did," she said.

"You won't need this nursery anytime soon, will you, Granger?" He laughed as he looked around. He went up to the wallpaper and started to peel at the seam with his finger.

"Stop!" she implored.

"I was just seeing how hard it would be to take this down," he said, "It almost looks like it was just put up." He examined it closer. It **had** just been applied. "Did the people who live here have a baby?" he asked, as he turned to her.

"They might have, I don't know," she snapped, leaving the room.

"This whole house looks like it's ready to move in," he said.

"Well, I've been working hard on it for four months," she said.

"Four months?" he asked, "Then all the new paint, floors, woodwork, and wallpaper were done by you?"

"Me and good old fashion magic," she laughed, as she started down the stairs.

He walked back in the nursery. Hermione called from the stairwell, "Let's go downstairs. I have dinner waiting for us."

He walked up to the fireplace in the nursery, and touched the freshly painted mantle. He walked over to the crib and touched the white wood, and then played absentmindedly with the little eyelet sheet on the mattress. Why did she decorate a nursery? She came back upstairs and walked up to the doorway and said, "Are you coming, Malfoy?"

"Why have you decorated a nursery? You aren't pregnant, are you?" he asked.

"I told you I haven't even dated since you!" she said with ire.

Draco said, "You don't have to date to get pregnant. Sex. You have to have sex."

"Well, the first sex I've had since last Christmas was in the backseat of Mr. Dodd's car this afternoon, and I believe it was with you." She actually stomped her foot.

"Well, you wouldn't be pregnant from that yet," he said sarcastically.

"No, not yet. I probably wouldn't even know I was pregnant for about thirty days or something, so let's drop the subject." She moved to leave the doorway, and he grabbed her arm.

"Why did you decorate a nursery? I already asked you once!" he said.

"I didn't! I told you. I haven't gotten to every room yet. The only rooms up here I've gotten to are my bedroom, both baths, and the room in navy across the hall. This room and the little office aren't done yet."

He eyed her with disbelief and said, "Then you wouldn't care if I did this, right?" and he took his wand, and said a spell, and all the wallpaper came down in strips. The room looked destroyed. She took a deep breath and let out the air slowly.

"Thank you, Malfoy. That saves me a lot of trouble," she said, leaving the room once more. He stayed behind and made the furniture disappear as well. At first, he didn't believe her, but she didn't seem upset that he removed the wallpaper, so maybe he would do her a favour and decorate this room for her.

She was downstairs, and she called up, "Draco, I'm laying out the food, come down!" Secretly, she was afraid of what else he was doing to her house.

"Just a moment!" he said. He finished removing all remnants of the nursery themed wallpaper, the beige carpeting, and the frilly white curtains. He said a spell that stripped the white paint from the woodwork and the fireplace. The windows each had a window seat, which had pink cushions. He removed those as well. The room now had bare white walls, wooden floors, and bare windows. There, now she was starting with a fresh canvas.

He walked down the stairs and said, "Hey, Granger, no need to thank me, but I finished stripping the wallpaper in that room, and removed the curtains and the flooring, and all the paint from the woodwork. I always thought it was a sin to paint woodwork. Now you have barebones to work with."

Inside she was seething, but she said, "Thank you, Malfoy, although I have no idea what I'm going to do in that room."

"Maybe I can help you decorate," he said, coming up and kissing her lips sweetly. Hermione leaned into his body, and opened her pliant mouth to his. He explored her mouth with his tongue. When they parted, she seemed somewhat sad, so he kissed one eye, then the other, and then gave her one last peck on the mouth. She pulled away from him and grinned. He smiled back.

She had food, wine, and a decadent looking cake laid out on a blanket in front of the fireplace in the living room. They walked in the room hand in hand. He helped her sit down and he sat beside her.

"So, Malfoy, what are you hoping will come from our meeting today?" she asked, filling his plate.

"Never one to beat around the bush, are you, Granger?" he said, amused.

"I just want to know where we stand, that's all," she said, taking a bite of cheese.

"I want you back, plain and simple, but I have to have some guarantees, or its bye, bye, Granger," he told her matter of fact. He wanted to be truthful to her, but he needed to know where she stood first. If he said, 'I plan to marry you by Christmas', she would probably run away as before, and he could never withstand losing her again.

"What are your conditions, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked with a smile.

He leaned down on his side, with his head propped up on his elbow. He said, "One, you can never leave me again, no matter what. Two, no more lies, from either of us, Three, marriage is optional but not conditional, because neither of us need a piece of paper to bind us, if we don't want it. Four, you must be my willing sex slave for all of my days."

She choked on her wine, and dribbled in on her white sweater. She said, "Lord, Malfoy, look what you did?"

He laughed and sat up. "What I did? I can't help it if you're a dribbling fool. Now your sweater is a pretty shade of pink in the front." He touched the place where the red wine stained her sweater with the tip of his wand, and the wool appeared white once more.

"Thanks and just don't let it happen again," she said, shaking her head. "Willing sex slave, my foot."

"To which of my conditions are you opposed, Granger?" he asked, taking a drink of wine.

"Well, the first two are fine. I'll not bolt from you again, and I'll try very hard to be honest, at least maybe after tonight, but three has me concerned and four it laughable."

"Forget four for now," he said, pouring her some more wine. "What about three has you concerned."

"Do you no longer want to get married?" she asked.

"Do you? I thought from your track record, that you never wanted to marry," he said.

"Maybe in the past that was true, but who said I feel that way now, anyway, what about the 'heir' thing before you're thirty?" she said, now lying on her side, as he was earlier, her head on her elbow. He lay down beside her, mirroring her body.

"I told you, I don't need my family's money. I have my own, and you must still have a little of your inheritance left, since you just bought this house. We'll be fine, married or not, and children or not," he said, reaching out and touching her hair. He pushed it behind her ear.

"You don't want children?" she asked, diffidently.

"Not particularly and at least not right away. Maybe I'm selfish, but I've been without you for many months now, and I want you all to myself. Is that so wrong? There's plenty of time for children," he implored, "Anyway, don't tell me 'Miss Career' woman wants children right away. What about The Beckford House. That's barely off the ground, and surely that will take your time."

She sat up and so did he. "Are you serious?" she asked.

"About which parts?" He was confused.

She stood up and started pacing the room. He was slightly concerned. He had no idea what he had said that had apparently upset her.

"First, I know it was entirely my fault. I left you. I didn't even wait and see if Eleanor was really pregnant. Then, when I found out about me, I came back, and was going to tell you. I wanted to tell you so badly, but then you started with all that, 'I don't want to be married', shite and all that, 'Being pregnant is no reason to marry'." Hermione was literally ranting as she paced back and forth. She was even imitating Draco, with a deep voice, when she repeated what he said. She continued, "You even said you wouldn't even marry me if I was pregnant, so I left! I bloody well left! I wanted to die, Draco! I didn't want to leave you! But you said you didn't want me!" She looked at him and he was actually scared. He stood up and fingered his wand, just in case he had to hex her to calm her. And when did he say he didn't want her?

She kept moving back and forth, and continued her angry outburst. "I don't know what to do now? What do I do, Malfoy! I don't want to give you up, not after finding you again! But I can't change what has already happened!" He came up to her, put his wand away and held her arms.

"Why would you have to give me up?" he asked, "And when did I say I didn't want you?"

She looked on the verge of tears.

"What did I say? I really am in the dark here. Do you want to get married now?" he asked.

"Goodness, Malfoy! I don't bloody well care if we get married or not! I don't care if we ever marry!" she shouted.

"Then what the hell is going on!" he shrieked.

She started crying and she bent down and started picking up their picnic. Then she took her wand and said, "Forget it!" and she oblivated the entire blanket, the food, and everything, completely away.

"Let me take you back now, I have a headache," she lied. She walked out her front door and went directly to her car. She sat behind the wheel, and hung her head. He stayed in the doorway, wondering if she had lost her mind.

He got in her car, cautiously, and shut the door. She started driving. He said, "I could always apparate home, you know. You don't really have to drive me anywhere."

"I know," she said sadly.

"Do you want me to apparate home?" he asked.

"No."

"Where are you taking me, then?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said.

"You aren't taking me to the woods somewhere, where you're going to murder me and then dispose of my body, are you?" he asked. She turned to give him a dirty look, but saw he was smiling, so she smiled as well. Then, her car drove right off the side of the road, into a ditch.

"Bloody, hell!" she yelled.

He got out of the car, and she stayed put. He said, "Get out, Granger; I'm pretty sure the car is stuck for a while. You have a flat tire."

"Use magic and fix it!" she said out the window.

"Come see it," he said. She got out, on the passenger side, because the driver's side was deep in the ditch. She saw that she not only had a flat tire, but it was almost gone. She kicked the side of the car.

"Do you have a spare tire?" he asked. "Because if you do, I can use magic to put it on."

She sat on the cold, snowy ground and said, "Look in the boot. I suppose there's a spare in there."

He went and got her keys, went to the boot, and was going to find the spare. Instead of the spare, the first thing he saw was an infant's car seat. Why did she have a car seat in her boot?

_Coming up: What's in your basket, little girl?_


	23. 23:What's in Your Basket, Little Girl

**All characters belong to JKR**

**23 - What's in your basket, little girl?**

Draco took his wand and removed the spare tire. To do so, he set the car seat on the ground. He would leave it on the ground and see how Hermione reacted to the fact that he saw it.

She got up from the cold ground and he removed his coat and handed it to her. He levitated the car, and then started to change the tire. Hermione walked around to the end of the car and did see that he put the car seat on the ground. However, she didn't say anything. After he was finished, he opened the boot, put the old tire within, and then the car seat, while the whole time she watched everything he did. He turned to her and said, "Well?"

"Thank you, Draco," she said, and she handed him his coat.

"Seriously, is that all you have for me, a thank you?" Draco said, thinking, 'how about you tell me why you had a nursery and why you have a baby's car seat'.

Hermione walked up to him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and leaned her head into his chest. Then she tipped her head back and said, "Thank you very much," and then she got on her tiptoes and kissed his mouth sweetly. That was fine, but that was not what he expected.

"Is our date over?" he asked.

"Don't you think it is?" she said, still wrapped in his arms, but not looking at him.

"I'm still hungry," he said.

"It's getting late," she said, "I think I should go home."

Draco said, "Where does this leave us? Why did you have a meltdown earlier?"

Hermione looked up at him and said, "Yes, sorry about that. I desperately want you back in my life, but I think we started this reunion the same way we started our relationship eighteen months ago. We started too fast, almost in the middle. There has to be a beginning. We need to talk about some things first."

"Agreed," he said, kissing the top of her head.

"I'm not working tomorrow, but I'm going to be busy all day, so why don't we meet the day after, at the museum?" she asked.

"Oh yes, you're babysitting tomorrow, right?" he remembered. She did not.

"What?" she asked.

"Your assistant asked you if you were still taking the baby tomorrow, and you said yes," he reminded.

A look of comprehension crossed her face. "Oh, yes, I'm babysitting tomorrow. That's why I can't see you until the next day."

"Is that why you had an infant's seat in your boot?" he asked.

"Yes, that's why," she said steadily.

"I could help you baby-sit. It might be fun," he said, still not sure he should believe her.

"Really?" she asked.

"Why not, I don't mind children. They can be quite fascinating," he came back with.

"Fine, come to my house about ten in the morning. We'll have a wonderful day, I'm sure," she smiled. Things might work out better that way, she thought to herself.

Hermione headed toward the car, which Draco had set back down on the road, and she got in the driver's side. He said, "I don't know where your house is, so I'll drive back there with you now, that way I'll know where to apparate tomorrow. Then I'll disapparate from there. Try to drive safely, all right?" He got in the car and she drove to her little rental house. They both got out and he grabbed her hand as she started up the walk.

"Not so fast, Missy, give me a kiss," he said. She cocked her head to the side, put a hand on his cheek, and just stared at him. "Do I have grease on my face from the tire?" he asked.

"No, I was just thinking how beautiful you are, especially by moonlight, and how much I love you," she said truthfully.

He wrapped his arms around her, under her coat, and put them flat on her back. "I'm not sure a woman's ever called me beautiful before, but I'm glad you appreciate what you see. I know I appreciate the woman in front of me, and I love her, too. Let's not waste anymore of our lives. Let's have a great, honest talk tomorrow, as hard as that might be for the both of us," he implored. Then he leaned down, kissed her mouth, moving his lips slightly, so she moved hers. He removed his lips and said, "Nothing will ruin this for us, not this time. The only thing that will ruin us is deceit and lies."

"I agree," she said, removing herself from his arms. She waved once more and let herself in her house. She walked upstairs, to her daughter's room. She picked up the little two and a half month old baby and told the babysitter she could leave. She cradled her in her arms and moved to the window. He was still outside looking up at the house. She didn't turn the light on in the room, so he wouldn't be able to see them. She said, "See that man down there, my sweet girl? That's your father. You'll meet him tomorrow." She put the baby back in her crib and then said, "But he seriously ruined your beautiful nursery tonight."

Before Draco went home, he apparated back to Hermione's new house. She didn't have any wards up yet. He would have to remedy that before he left. He walked up to the nursery and said, "I wonder how long it will take me to put this room right?"

The next morning, Hermione, afraid and apprehensive, got up from bed, showered, and dressed. She put a knitted outfit on the baby, which was yellow with a matching knitted hat and booties. She just hoped the baby didn't spit up on it before Draco saw her.

Draco woke up in the middle of the nursery at Hermione's new house. He didn't mean to fall asleep. He worked all night. It took him a while, because he couldn't remember exactly how she had everything. If she wanted him to change something, he would. He looked down at his watch and saw it was almost ten am. He didn't have much time, but he had to get home, and take a shower before he met with Hermione, and hopefully his baby.

He arrived home and started to run up the stairs. He was stopped in his tracks by the appearance of his father and mother, both who stood at the top of the stairs. Goodness, what in the world did they want?

"I thought I had wards up so you couldn't enter," he said, truthfully.

"Oh, Draco," his father said, "did you really think your little wards would keep us out?"

Draco walked the rest of the way up the stairs and said, "What are you doing up here?"

Mrs. Malfoy said, "We were decorating one of your rooms into a nursery."

Draco wondered how they knew, when he still was not one hundred percent sure. "What are you talking about?"

"Your baby, Draco," his father said, heading toward the room they decorated. "We heard through some reliable sources that you have seen Miss Granger again, and we also heard that she has a baby, although that is supposed to be a well guarded secret, as she apparently hasn't even told her employers, or even her own family."

"Then how do you know?" Draco asked, joining his parents in the room they decorated. It was cold and sparse, decorated with white and silver. It was a gloomy, dark room, not a warm baby's nursery at all. He liked the nursery at Hermione's house better.

"Draco, we make a point of finding things out. Now, we're not at all happy about the fact that you had a child with a Mudblood, but that can be overlooked," Lucius said.

Draco looked around the room and said, "What makes you think that we'll live here if we get married?"

His mother's eyes widened and she said, "Oh, you certainly aren't entertaining thoughts of marrying the mother, are you?"

"Of course," Draco said.

His father said, "There will be no marriage between my son and a Mudblood. We have already contacted our barrister, and he assures us there are still laws on the books that will guarantee you full custody of the baby. One, Miss Granger hid the birth from you, and two, you are pureblood, and the law still protects the rights of purebloods. That trumps all other things. We are having her served with papers as we speak. The Ministry will go and take the baby from her until paternity and custody can be determined.

"NO!" Draco yelled.

"It's done, and you'll go along with it, even if you don't want the child. It's our grandchild, and you will take custody!" his father bellowed.

"What have you done?" Draco asked. He disapparated, leaving his bewildered parents behind.

Hermione was hiding. Two Ministry officials came and demanded to know if she had a child, and demanded to take the child until paternity and custody could be determined. She had her baby in a Muggle hospital, and never registered her birth with the Ministry, because she didn't want anyone to find out, and because she was afraid of such a thing. Draco must have figured it all out, and in his anger, he decided to take her baby from her. She was standing in the middle of her mum's old house (the first place she thought to Apparate), in the middle of the empty kitchen, crying. What was she going to do?

Draco arrived at Hermione's rental house just as the Ministry officials were leaving. He said, "Where is she?"

"She left, Mr. Malfoy. We don't know where she went, but she took the baby and apparated away," the woman said.

"I don't want to pursue this case, do you understand. Even if it is my child, it is something for the mother and I to determine. Please," Draco pleaded.

"That's up to you, but we had a petition from your lawyer, signed by you," the male Ministry official said.

"It was forged, I guarantee, and by my father no doubt. I signed no such petition, and made no declaration," Draco added.

"We might have known, dealing with a former Death Eater," the woman said. Then realizing she said that in front of Draco she said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy, I didn't mean to say that."

"Why not, it's the truth," Draco said in anger. The two Ministry officials left and Draco entered her house. He looked around. Everything was in boxes. She must have been planning to move either today or in the next day or two, because there wasn't anything that was not in a box. He ran upstairs and started calling for her. If he lost her again because of his parents, he might kill them.

He ran down the stairs as her assistant, Catherine, came walking in the house with three men. "Oh, Mr. Malfoy, are you planning on helping us move Hermione and the baby in their new home today?"

"No, but have you seen them?" he asked.

"They aren't here?" she asked.

"No, and I'm worried," Draco admitted.

"Let me get the movers started, it shouldn't take long with magic, and then I'll help you look," Catherine said.

"I'll go ahead and start looking on my own, but thanks," Draco said. He returned to his house. He wanted to call Hermione's mum.

He called Hermione's mum, and she told Draco she didn't even know Hermione had a baby. She was shocked and on the verge of tears during the whole conversation. Why would Hermione hide such a thing from her own mother? She told Draco she was used to Hermione hiding things from her. She said that Hermione always hid the magical part of her life from her family, but she couldn't believe she didn't tell them about having a baby. Her mum told Draco what upset her most was the fact that Hermione had to go through it all on her own.

That comment made Draco feel even worse.

He searched all day. Hermione's things would be in the new house that evening, so he went there. He refused to look up in the nursery. He didn't want to see his baby's room, until his baby was in it. Hermione's assistant was arranging pictures on the mantle. He walked in, saw her, and walked out. She turned to him and said, "Do you want to see what your baby looks like? I have a picture of the baby here."

"No, not until I see the baby in person," he said sadly. He walked to the red painted library, sat on a chair, and hung his head in shame and concern.

It was late, perhaps after nine pm, when Draco heard Hermione come into the house. He knew it was she, because he heard her on the stairs and she was talking to someone, probably the baby. She said, "Looks like Catherine got us all moved in, little one." Draco stood from his chair and looked out the door. All he saw was Hermione's legs and feet as she disappeared up the stairs. He walked up slowly, trying not to make a sound. He heard her gasp, as she entered the nursery.

"Someone was busy in here as well," she said. He stayed on the stairs, not wanting to interrupt, and not knowing what to say. She put the baby in the nursery, and walked back into the hall. She immediately saw Draco on the stairs.

"I guess you know my secret," Hermione said slowly.

"Yes, I guess I do," he said.

"Are you really going to take the baby from me?" she asked with a hint of fear in her voice.

"I was never going to, that wasn't my doing. My parents found out somehow. Contacting the Ministry was all their doing. I'm sorry," he said.

"You have every right to be upset and angry," she said. "I thought you were so angry at me for not telling you about it and that you were doing this to get back at me."

"Unlike you, I wouldn't take your child from you," he said. He regretted being mean to her, especially as she looked so sad, but it was the truth, and someone needed to point it out to her.

"I was so stupid, and I can't take it back. I was afraid and I thought you didn't want to marry me, and I thought you didn't want a child. I didn't want you to feel trapped," she said in a rush. "I didn't want to be another Eleanor."

"You should have given me a chance. I deserved that much," Draco demanded.

She had nothing to say in response because he was correct. Finally, she asked, "Do you want to meet your baby?"

"I do, but not right now. I'm tired," he said. He wanted to run up there and hold his baby and never let it go, but he would wait until he could hold her and Hermione both, and never let either go. It dawned on him that he didn't know if it was a girl or boy. He just assumed it was a girl, because of the pink nursery. He didn't even know its name.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked.

"No, but you'll see me during the Open House," he said.

"That's still eleven days away," she said, walking closer to him. "Surely you don't want to wait eleven days to meet your child."

"Granger, I feel so numb right now, I don't know what I want, but I'll make you a promise. I'll see you both at the Open House. I love you, and nothing will change that. I need to do some damage control with my parents, since they found out somehow, and I need to stop my father from interfering," Draco explained. He added, "I have some plans of my own to make, as well. You just need to promise you won't ever leave me again."

Hermione nodded her head and walked to the stairs, to join him.

"Are you sure we're okay?" she asked hesitantly.

He nodded this time, and took her hand and put it to his mouth. "We will be, as long as there are never, ever, any more lies between us." He kissed her hand once more and disappeared. Hermione sat on the stairs for many moments and contemplated her next move.

_Coming up: Who's on first, no, what's on second._


	24. 24:Who's on First, no What's on Second

**All characters belong to JKR**

**24 - Who's on First, No, What's on Second:**

It was the evening of the Open House. All the important members of the Wizarding Community attended, including high officials from the Ministry. Hermione's mum and Professor Cummings even came. She had already told her mum the truth, and her mum had met the baby. She was upset for only five minutes. Seeing her first granddaughter melted away all her anger.

Hermione's father had met the baby two days before her mum. He was very pleased as well, if not a little shocked. Hermione also told all her friends. Most of her co-workers and the people of the village already knew. The members of the little village were very protective of the little baby, and they loved her and Hermione very much. The whole reason Hermione kept the secret from so many for so long was because she wanted to tell Draco first.

Draco had written to Hermione almost every day since he had last seen her. He sent a present to the baby almost every other day. His only request was that Hermione not tell him anything about the baby, or send him any pictures, until he met her himself.

Hermione brought the baby with her to the Open House. She put her in her bassinette and tucked her away in a corner of the little anteroom. Hermione, along with Mr. Dodds, started to greet all the witches and wizards as they arrived. Everyone roamed the house at his or her leisure. There was food in the dining room, and a string quartet in the music room. The house was decorated for Christmas, with a tree illuminated in every room. Hermione kept looking out the window, waiting for Draco.

His parents showed up first. Hermione hid in the doorway of the anteroom. As she saw the Malfoys enter, she noticed they were looking around. No doubt, they were looking for her and the baby. Right behind them was Draco. He must have come with his parents. He looked very nice in his midnight black dress robes.

She went over to the bassinette and said, "It's now or never, baby," and she walked out of the little room, into the foyer, leaving the baby in her bassinette.

All three Malfoys turned to Hermione. Mr. Malfoy walked up to her first. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "Miss Granger, I say this sincerely, you are a vision tonight. Perhaps, besides my lovely wife, the most beautiful witch here." Hermione looked over at Draco with a shocked expression and he tried to suppress a grin.

Mrs. Malfoy took her other hand and said, "We will simply have to get together tomorrow and go shopping."

Hermione looked at Draco with even larger eyes, and this time he just laughed aloud. The two elder Malfoys walked through to the lounge, and Hermione grinned at Draco. He came up and took her hand. He leaned in and said in her ear, "You do look beautiful."

"Did you talk to your parents?" she asked.

"Perhaps," he said.

"What did you say to them?" she asked.

"I told them they would never ever see their grandchild if they were not decent to the baby's mother," Draco told her. There were more threats made than just that, but she didn't need to know all the sordid details.

Just then, Catherine came into the foyer and said, "Hermione, will you get the baby, its crying." Hermione walked from the foyer to the anteroom, with Draco right behind her. Hermione bent down and picked the little baby up out of her bassinette.

"That's a pretty baby," Draco commented, coming to stand beside the. He decided to act coy.

"Yes, it is," Hermione said in agreement.

"How old is it?" Draco asked.

"Almost three months old," Hermione said, rocking the baby back and forth in her arms.

"It's bald," Draco stated the obvious.

"So?" Hermione asked indignantly.

"Are its parent's bald?" Draco asked, pretending as if he did not know who the parents were, since they not had been formally introduced.

Hermione laughed and said, "I don't believe so."

"What's its name?" Draco asked, sitting down on a bench. Hermione sat down next to him, with the baby still in her arms.

"Pardon?" Hermione asked, seriously not hearing him.

"Are you hard of hearing now? I asked its name," Draco repeated.

"Oh, I didn't hear you, I'm sorry, its name is Granger," Hermione answered, still calling her an 'it'.

"Granger? Is it named after you?" he inquired, with a smirk.

"I believe so," she said vaguely.

"That's an odd name," he stated.

"Thanks a lot," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, not for a last name, but it's a weird first name, isn't it," he tried to cover his blunder.

"Do you want to hold it?" she asked, deciding to ignore his comment about her name.

"All right," he said which surprised her. "It's a pretty baby, after all, as far as babies go," he explained.

"Yes, I think so," she agreed.

"Are its parents good looking?" he asked, swaying the baby slightly back and forth.

Hermione laughed again and said, "Yes, they are good looking and they have hair."

Draco said to the baby, cradling it in his arms, "Well, little man, you're rather good looking bald." He knew it wasn't a boy, but he wanted to irritate Hermione.

"It's a little girl," Hermione corrected.

"A girl?" Draco was not shocked, since he already figured out it was a girl, however, he was shocked at the name, once he really thought about it. "A girl called Granger?"

"Why not? You call me Granger," she retorted. That was what gave her the idea to name her that.

"Still, it's odd, but your first name is Hermione, which is as odd as they come, so you probably find nothing wrong with the fact that this poor little girl will be saddled with the first name of Granger all her life," Draco declared. He actually loved the thought that his sweet little girl was going to be called his all time favourite name.

"If you can get through all these years with the name Draco, I think she'll survive," Hermione surmised.

"It depends on what her last name is. If it's horrendous as well, then the little one might have a problem. We don't want her to suffer, and be the victim of cruel teasing and bullies. You know how mean children can be," Draco amended.

"She'll be fine, give her to me," Hermione said, holding out her hands. He handed her the baby, who was now sleeping, and Hermione put her back in her basket. Then Hermione added, "And you should know all about bullies, since you were one."

"So, what is her last name?" Draco asked, leaning over the bassinette, and totally ignoring her bully comment.

"Pardon?" Hermione asked again, even though this time she heard him fine.

"Goodness, Granger, clean out your ears," Draco said. He leaned down to the baby and said, "I was talking to that Granger, not you, little one." He pointed at Hermione. Hermione had not answered yet so he asked again, "Surely her name is not Granger Granger. What's the baby's last name?" He knew, but he wanted to hear it from Hermione.

When she still didn't respond he touched her arm. "Hermione, I was asking what type of last name would go with the first name 'Granger'."

"Malfoy," she said.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" he asked as a joke.

"No," she said.

"So, what's her last name?" he quizzed again.

"Malfoy," she said again.

"Pardon?" he said. He would play along. He acted as if he didn't realize she was answering his question. He was acting as if he thought she was calling him by his name.

"I said, Malfoy. What, can't you hear now?" Hermione smirked. Yes, she smirked.

"Why do you keep saying my name? Do you want something?" Draco asked, pretending to become irritated.

"I'm trying to answer your question," Hermione laughed.

"Then tell me her last name." He stomped his foot in fake anger.

She laughed again and said, "Malfoy!"

"Yes? What do you want?" he almost yelled back. The baby stirred for a moment, and Hermione bent back down, picked her up, and placed her again in her arms.

Hermione said under her breath, "Give me strength," and then she looked at Draco and added, "Malfoy."

Draco said, "Do you want something, Hermione?"

"No," she said.

"You said my name again," he said, looking at her as she was becoming irritated with him. It was fun to make her irritated. He always thought so.

"Did I?" she asked, wearily.

"Yes, and you still haven't answered my question," he pointed out.

"Did you ask me a question?" Hermione was having fun with him now.

"Yes, I asked you the same bloody question five times!" he shouted, and he hit the flat of his hand against her shoulder, knocking her over slightly.

"You are a brute. Now, what was the question? Ask again," she said playfully. He took the baby from her and held it again.

"I asked you the baby's last name!" He WAS actually becoming angry now, and he wasn't sure why, since he already knew the answer to his question.

There was a long pause. Finally, Hermione said, "Malfoy."

"Please, why do you keep calling out my name?' he asked, now as tired as she was. He just wanted her to say that the baby was his, outright.

"I'm not calling out your last name, you moron, and I know you know that. I'm answering your question; you just won't stop and listen to me, although I also know you already know the answer to your question. Let's just end this now, ask me one last time, and really listen to my answer," Hermione said.

"Hermione, what is the baby's last name?" Draco inquired, finally deciding that they had enough fun and games, and it was time to get down to business. He stared directly into Hermione's eyes.

Hermione took his hand, and while he was still holding the baby, said, "Malfoy. She's your daughter. You are her father, and her last name is Malfoy, a fact in which I know you are aware."

"Her last name is Malfoy?" Draco asked, wanting to end the charade.

"Yes, that's what I've been saying for the last five minutes."

"Granger Malfoy?" Draco said, looking down at his baby.

"Yes," She said, stroking the baby's head, and linking her arm in his.

He rocked the baby in his arms and said, "That's a very good name. It goes perfectly with Granger."

"I thought so," Hermione said again.

Draco looked at Hermione and said, "I think it goes perfectly with the first name Hermione, as well. What do you think?"

"I like those names together," she answered.

"Come to think of it, she's extremely pretty. Bald suits her," Draco said, kissing the baby's bald head.

"I thought you would think so," Hermione said, "and, you know, she will get hair. Hopefully she will get your hair, but she will get hair."

"I hope so," he said, "You know, she looks like me."

Hermione said, "I would expect so, since you're her daddy." Moreover, Hermione would expect nothing less.

Draco took the baby and walked around the foyer. He was holding her so close, staring at her sweet, perfect, little face intently. Was she really his? He suddenly had a terrible thought. He turned to Hermione and said, "I really did destroy her nursery, didn't I?"

Hermione started laughing and came up and put her hand on his arm, and bent down and kissed the baby's chubby cheek. "Yes, you did, but I was rather proud of how it turned out, after you fixed it. You did a great job putting it right, you know." Hermione told him.

"I hoped you would like it," he said, moving back toward the anteroom, and then going to sit on the backstairs. She sat beside him. "I wonder what my parents will say when they see her? I wonder what I should say to them."

"Just say, 'hey mummy and daddy, meet your little half blood granddaughter.' I'm sure that will go over peachy," Hermione said with disparagement. She was not exactly keen on the thought of the Malfoys as her baby's grandparents.

Mr. Malfoy came walking down the backstairs and said, "Did someone mention me and my wife?"

Draco and Hermione both stood. Mr. Malfoy walked up to Draco and said, "So, this is the infant in question."

"Yes, Father," Draco answered.

"Is it a boy or girl?" he inquired.

"A girl, a girl called Granger," Draco answered, looking over at Hermione and smiling.

"Granger?" Lucius said, with an expression that resembled disgust. However, he said nothing about the name. Instead, he said, "May I hold my heir and only grandchild?" Draco looked at Hermione for approval. She was afraid Malfoy Senior would disapparate away with the baby, but she nodded in assent.

Draco handed the baby to his father, and said, "I thought I was your heir?"

"Not any longer. I've already had a codicil added to my will, naming this child my sole heir. If you are lucky enough to have additional children, then they too will be named as heirs. You will still get a sizable amount of money, don't fear," Lucius said, holding the baby. Draco rolled his eyes. He didn't need his father's money.

Soon, Mrs. Malfoy was coming down the backstairs as well. "Oh, is this the child? Give it to me, Lucius!" She held out her hands and he handed the child to his wife. "It's a girl, isn't it? It looks like a girl. I always wished that Draco was girl!" she gushed.

"Thanks, Mother," Draco said, holding back a laugh.

"Oh, you know what I mean. What's her name?" Mrs. Malfoy asked, looking directly at Hermione.

Hermione knew she would find out anyway, so she might as well tell the older witch. "Her name is Granger, Granger Elizabeth Malfoy." Draco didn't even know her middle name until that moment.

"Well," Mrs. Malfoy said, "Maybe I could call her by her initials. She could be known as Gem. I like that."

"That is better than Granger," Mr. Malfoy agreed.

Hermione was about to protest, but Draco dragged her into the Library. There were many people around, so he said quietly, "Please, don't hex them while they're holding the baby."

"They're changing her name!" Hermione yelped.

"So, it's kind of a cute nickname. Don't worry about it," Draco reasoned, adding, "Do you realize that if my father really has changed his will, our little girl will be the fourth richest witch in all of England."

"What? Surely not," Hermione said, appalled.

Draco nodded his head, to show that he was indeed telling the truth. Hermione didn't know the Malfoys had that much money. She said, "Fine, if that's the case they can call her Oprah for all I care."

"Oprah?" Draco laughed, "Now there's a strange name."

Hermione laughed also. She said, "Go get your child from their evil clutches, please." They both walked back out to the anteroom, but Draco's parents had moved to the lounge with their granddaughter. Lucius was once again holding her, telling everyone who would listen that it was his granddaughter, and her name was Granger. At least he told everyone her real name.

Mrs. Cummings, Hermione's mum, walked up to Draco and Hermione and said, "So, they took that well, I presume?"

"Yes, they did, Mum." Hermione agreed.

"How will they take the news of a possible wedding, I wonder?" Hermione's mother asked, putting her hand on Draco's arm, and walking toward the lounge. She didn't want the Malfoys to take all of the glory, for she wanted everyone to know that was her granddaughter as well.

Draco turned around, to see Hermione's reaction to what her mother said about a possible wedding, but Hermione had already rushed up the stairs. He had to follow. He wasn't letting her get away ever again.

_Coming up: I love you more today, than yesterday._


	25. 25:I Love you More Today, Then Yesterday

**All characters belong to JKR**

**25 - I Love You More Today, than Yesterday:**

Draco walked up the stairs and looked in each bedroom. There were people milling about in all of them, but no Granger. He climbed the staircase to the third floor. He passed an old-fashioned nursery, which had old dolls and games from one hundred years ago. He passed a small little schoolroom. He noticed another set of stairs. He walked up these and opened a trap door, which led to a Widow's Walk up on the roof. There, in the cold dark of the night, he found his Granger, walking along the wrought iron railing of the Widow's Walk, up on the top of the roof.

"Hermione, come down, it's freezing up here," he said, closing the trap door and coming to stand beside her. He took off his cloak and put it around her shoulders. She just stood there, looking out along the horizon. It was a clear, bright night, and she could see for miles.

"What's wrong, Granger?" he asked. "You know, there's no where to run. Unless you intend to jump, that is."

"I'm not running," she said, not looking at him.

"You could have fooled me. You ran as high up in this house as your could," he pointed out.

Hermione looked at him and said, "That's not running away."

"Why did you leave the party?" he asked.

"I don't know," she lied. She turned to look at him again, "Take your cloak back, Draco. You will catch your death."

"You keep it. Tell me, what's wrong?" he asked. "Is it what your mum said about getting married? I don't know why you're so opposed to marriage, but I meant what I said the other night. We can be together and not be married. I don't care, as long as you and Gem are part of my life."

She laughed, and said, "Gem."

"We could call her Gemma," he said.

"What's wrong with, Granger?" she asked, "That's the name I named her, and I like it."

"I like it, too," he complained.

"Then why do you want to change it?" she asked.

"Why are you really trying to pick a fight? Let's argue about what you really want to argue about, and not about the baby's name!" Draco said with indignation.

Hermione huffed in anger, pushed Draco, and then hugged him. He was confused as hell, but he hugged her back, if only for the warmth she was emitting, since it was freezing outside.

"Are you sure you want to marry me?" Hermione asked, still holding him tight.

"Well, now I'm not really sure, since you seem physically abusive, and possibly bi-polar," he teased.

She looked at him with a smile, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, so they were under the cloak also. She said, "I just want you to marry me for me, and not just out of obligation, because we have a baby together."

"Granger, oh Granger, you silly, stupid, woman," Draco said, as she frowned at him, "My whole intention, when I asked to be part of the board of governors of this museum, yes, I asked to be part of it, and by the way, was told 'no' until I made a sizable donation. Anyway, my whole intent was to find you, make you love me again, and then marry you, and to do all of this before Christmas. You see, I planned that before I knew about our precious little girl. I think that proves that I really wanted to marry you."

"Really?" she asked.

"Of course, I don't lie anymore, one of our promises to each other, remember?" he stated.

Hermione shivered and he held her closer. She said, "What made you finally decide to come and find me after so long?"

Draco put his chin upon her head, holding her as close as he could. Her breath was warm on his neck. He said, "I waited forever for you to find me. You never did. I had enough contacts that I knew you didn't fall off the face of the earth. I knew you were still in England. However, the more time that passed, the harder it was to try come to you. My pride kept getting in the way."

She looked up at him and kissed his cheek. She said, "What finally changed your mind?"

He laughed slightly and put his thumb on her chin, so she would remain looking at him. "It was such a little moment, but it was October, and the weather was just starting to turn cold. I was walking along a park, deep in thought and regret, and I had my coat wrapped tightly around my body. I noticed a man and woman, not so unlike us, standing by a tree, and he had his coat wrapped around both of them, as we are right now. She looked up at him, and he kissed her. I felt like I was witnessing something intimate. It woke me up. I wanted that. I wanted that with you."

"I went home and the first thing I did was go into my library and I took out the painting you painted for me, and I stared at it forever. Finally, I decided that I was going to win you back."

"How where you planning on accomplishing that task?" she asked, amused.

"If we could go inside, I'll tell you," he said. He opened the trap door, and followed her down the little staircase. He said, "Where can we go to be alone?"

"There's a room off the classroom. It was a room used to punish the children of the house when they misbehaved. It has no windows, no light, and no doorknob on the inside," Hermione explained.

"Perfect, you show me the way," he said.

Hermione took Draco's hand and led him to the little room off the classroom. No one saw them enter. She used her wand to lock the door from the inside, since it really could only lock from the outside. She lit her wand. She said, "We're alone. Now, tell me how would you have 'wooed' me?"

He lit a small candle that was on the wall. He magnified the light, so he could at least see her. He said, "I was going to come to the board of governors meeting, be charming and debonair, make you see what a fool you were by leaving me. We would have gone out to lunch…"

"We did go out to lunch," she corrected.

"Yes, and then we would have made love in the backseat of a car," he joked.

"Oh, what a shame that one didn't happen," she said. He raised an eyebrow, and she said, "Because we made love in the backseat of a car, and then went out to lunch. Your plan was to go out to lunch and then the sex part. I'm so sorry for you."

"How was I to know you turned into a tart," he said, "Now, where was I, oh, yes, then we would have gone out to dinner that night, I would have told you I still loved you, and I would have gotten down on my knee and proposed."

"Show me," she implored.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"Show me how would you have proposed?"

He got down on his knee, and took her hand. "I would have said, Hermione, I don't care what transpired between us. I don't care how much time has passed. I only know my love for you grows stronger each day I'm alive. I love you more today than I did yesterday. I will love you even more tomorrow. Please, say you'll be mine. Please, no more running away. Please, no more sadness and sorrow. Please, just you and me together, for all time."

"What would I have said in return?" she asked, meekly. He stood back up and put both hands on her cheeks.

"Why, you surprise me, Granger. Do you not know how this story ends? My stories always end with a happy ending. Didn't you know that?" he asked, kissing her lips. He backed away from her and said, "So, of course you would have said yes." He kissed her again, this time his hands went around her body, and he held her tight. His mouth crushed against hers, hard, but soft. He played with her lips, and his tongue danced wildly with hers. He never wanted to leave her lips. When they stopped kissing, he put his forehead on hers.

"Did you like my proposal?" he asked, with one hand coming to caress her face softly.

"I did, I mean, I do."

"What's your answer? If this was a real proposal, that is, and not just my explanation of what would have happened," he asked timidly.

"You will only know if this is a real proposal," she said, just as guardedly.

"Will you marry me? Will you be mine? Will you make me the happiest man to ever live and be my wife?" he asked.

"Make up your mind, which do you want?" she joked. Then she hugged him tightly, and put her hand on his beating heart. It was thumping so loudly, she could hear it as well as feel it. "I, Hermione Granger, will take you, Draco Malfoy, to be my lawful, wedded husband, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, in happy times and sorrow, for richer, or poorer. I promise never to leave you again. I promise to make you happy, and to only fight with you when you are wrong." She smiled.

"Till death do us part?" he asked.

"I always thought that part was morbid. Let's just say, for all the days of our lives," she amended.

He kissed her again and then said, "By the way, Granger, we'll never be poor, so we could take out the 'for richer or poorer' part of the vows. Haven't you heard? Our daughter is the fourth richest witch in all of England!"

She laughed and said, "I want to make love to you right now, but we have this bloody Open House, and we have a baby to look after."

"Could your mum watch the baby tonight?" he asked.

"My mum and the Professor are staying at my house, so I'm sure they would watch the baby, but where would we go?" Hermione asked.

"I have an excellent idea, but you must wait here for me, because I have to check something out first. Give me about an hour, and I'll return for you. That should be enough time for you to arrange for the baby, to pack a small suitcase, to tell my parents that we'll see them for dinner the day after tomorrow at the Manor, and then meet me back here."

The only part she heard was 'the Manor'. "We have to have dinner with your parents at the Manor the day after tomorrow?" She frowned.

"Hermione, it's one of the ways I bribed them to be good tonight. You, and I and the baby, will make three dinner guests the day after tomorrow at the Manor. I apologize, but do you really care?" he asked.

She stuck out her tongue and looked like she was ready to be sick, then she shuddered and said, "I guess we could, yuck." He laughed at her and used his wand to unlock the door to the little room.

"One hour, Granger. Use your time wisely. Meet me back up on the Widow's Walk in one hour exactly!" he said, as he disappeared on the spot. She went downstairs and started her assigned task. Her mother agreed to watch the baby, the Malfoys were thrilled they were coming to dinner and spending the night, (she made a mental note to kill Malfoy for not mentioning the 'stay the night' part to her) and she told Mr. Dodd that she was taking the rest of the year off, and would return January 6th. She went home, packed a bag, and then came back and kissed her baby goodbye.

She went back up to the Widow's Walk, dressed in pants, a sweater, and a coat. He arrived a little over an hour later. He also had changed clothes and had a small bag. She said, "Are you going to tell me where we're going?"

"Why, we are going to get married, of course!" he said, taking her hand and disapparating with her to a place she would soon recognize.

_Coming up: Back to Italy.  
_


	26. 26: Back to Italy

**All characters belong to JKR**

**26 - Back to Italy**:

Draco apparated them directly in front of the Ministry. "Why are we here?" Hermione asked, as soon as she realized where they were.

Draco said, "We have to catch an international portkey, and we should hurry, for they arranged this just for us," Draco took her hand and led her into the building. They walked down a long hallway. They stopped in front of a set of double doors, with a sign overhead that read 'International Portkey and Apparition Points'.

"Where are we going that we need a portkey?" Hermione asked, pulling on his arm as he tried to enter the room.

"Just come on, trust me!" he said with excitement.

Draco led Hermione into the room. A witch with red hair came up and said, "Are you Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger?"

"Yes," Draco confirmed.

"Well, let's hurry up, the portkey leaves in five minutes, and since this was arranged just for you, I think you had better not miss it. Please take a hold of the wine bottle," the witch said.

Hermione, still feeling apprehensive, took a hold of the neck of an old brown wine bottle. Draco put his hand on top of hers. After just a moment or two, Hermione felt herself being lifted, and then there was the familiar feeling of being suspended in air. They landed easily, side by side.

"Where are we?" she asked as she looked around. It was dark, and she couldn't see.

"Italy," he said.

"Where in Italy?" she asked, trying to look around in the dark.

"You don't know? You really don't recognize this street?" he asked, taking her hand and leading her to a hotel.

"Draco!" she said suddenly, "This is the hotel we stayed at the summer we fell in love!" She was now leading him in the lobby. The same clerk, who was there so long ago, met them at the desk.

"Hello you two, it's so nice to see you again. Your room's not ready yet, but you can leave your bags here. I think the officiate is waiting for you at the little church down the road," the man said with a smile.

"Are you ready to get married?" Draco asked.

"Right now? Tonight? This late?" Hermione asked, shocked.

"Right now. Tonight. And it's not that late." Draco laughed at her.

"I don't have a wedding dress," Hermione complained.

"One last thing to remove before the wedding night," Draco concluded.

Without further ado, he took her hand and apparated them both to the courtyard of the little church. The officiate, a young good-looking wizard, was waiting for them. Joining him was Professor and Mrs. Cummings (Hermione's mum), Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, Hermione's dad and his wife, and being held by Mrs. Malfoy was little Granger Malfoy, who was fast asleep and unaware of what was going on around her.

"Draco, how did you arrange this?" Hermione asked, in awe.

"Granger, I told you that I had everything all planned out before I even knew about the baby. This was always the plan. I had always planned to take you back to our hotel, with our friends and families, and get married here in this little church, where I saw you sitting that one day, looking so sad. I even planned it for the evening of the Open House. I have to admit, I thought you were going to ruin everything when you almost ran away again," Draco explained.

"I didn't run away," she pointed out, "I ran up to the roof, there's a difference."

"Your mum almost blew it for us, when she mentioned a wedding," Draco said in her ear. She smiled. "Your dress is waiting for you in a little room off the side of the sanctuary. My mother and your mum picked it out together. I haven't seen it, so I have no idea what it looks like."

"Is this what you have been doing the last eleven days? Planning all of this?" she asked.

"Actually, some of it was planned in advance, before I even knew if you would take me back, but yes, most of it was planned in the last few days," he said. "Are you okay with all of this? Do you want to marry me? It's not too late, if you don't."

She looked at his face, which was flushed with anticipation, and she said, "I love you so much and I can't imagine not being married to you. I've finally found a man I can imagine being with the rest of my life." She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. She laughed. She was getting married. Right now, right here, in front of her family, to the man she loved. Hermione felt as if she was in a dream.

She took a deep breath and entered the church. The officiate told her, "We have to be out of here in an hour. The priest gave us that long. This church isn't really used for services any longer, it's more of a tourist attraction, but there's another wedding here tomorrow, so we have to be out of here before midnight."

"I understand," Hermione said. "I'll get ready quickly."

"Is there anything special you want me to say for your service?" he asked her.

"If there's a way to combine a traditional Muggle ceremony with a pureblood Wizard one? That would be nice," she joked.

He said, "I really can do that, you know."

"Really? That would be fantastic," Hermione rejoiced.

She went and put on her dress, with her mum's help. It was beautiful. It looked like gossamer silk, and it was so white it was almost silver. She fixed her hair, and picked up a small bouquet of white roses, which was waiting for her. She looked out the door of the little room, and saw everyone standing around the altar. She said, "Mum, can you come here for a minute."

Her mother walked up to her and looked out the door as well, and said, "You look so beautiful. Do you want me to get your father, so he can walk you down the aisle?" she asked.

"No," Hermione said, "I want you to go get my baby. I want to walk down the aisle with her."

That was what happened. Hermione Jean Granger walked down the aisle of a little Italian church, in the middle of the night, in the middle of December, with Granger Elizabeth Malfoy asleep in her arms. She stopped at the end of the aisle, in front of an altar, and looked into the eyes of her one true love, the man she was going to marry and the father of her daughter, Draco Malfoy.

After the ceremony, the whole family went back to the hotel. Draco explained to Hermione that he had booked all their rooms back in October, when he first came up with this plan. He booked the suite, with the view, for them.

Most of the wedding party were very tired, especially Hermione's mum, dad, and step mum, who had never traveled by portkey before. Everyone went to his or her respective rooms, and decided they would have a reception breakfast the next morning. Hermione put the baby to bed in the second bedroom of the suite, in a crib that the hotel staff had sent up.

Draco came in and looked down at his daughter. "Is she going to be okay in here by herself?"

"Yes, she sleeps in a room by herself now," Hermione told him.

"Maybe we should put her in our room, just for tonight," he said, worried.

"Don't you want to have a wedding night?" she asked.

"What a ridiculous and pointless question, Granger, of course I do. I have to say I require it," he said smugly.

"Then the baby should stay in here," she said with a smile.

She pulled on his hands and led him out of the room. He tried to turn back around once and said, "Just leave her door open," and he broke from her grasp and went to open the door.

Hermione shook her head and said, "A father for one night and look at you."

"I've been a father for three months, I just hadn't met her until tonight," he corrected her.

"I'm so sorry about that," Hermione said sadly.

"Hey, let's not live with regret," he told her.

He walked up to her and brushed his fingertips down her face. "You're so pretty," he said. He took his index finger and put it delicately down the other side of her face, then down her neck, and then down her arm. He took the same finger and traced her collarbone. He traced around her lips and then leaned in for a small kiss. He walked around to her back and started to unbuttoned her dress. "Goodness, Granger, whoever made this dress didn't think about the wedding night. There's a hundred buttons here," he said.

"I won't be wearing it again, rip the damn thing off, for all I care," she said.

He used his wand instead and the buttons came undone so that the dress slipped off her shoulders. He walked toward her and kissed her back. His hands went around her bare waist and he pushed the dress off her hips. He bent his head and made a trail of kisses, all the way down her back. He kissed the dimpled area above the waistband of her knickers.

He put his hands up on her shoulders, and sucked on the side of her neck. She leaned back into his body, and her head fell on his shoulder.

"I love you, Draco," she said, bringing her gaze up to meet his.

"Shall we go to the bedroom?" he asked, leaning back down to kiss her neck again. Without waiting for a response, he took her hand and walked them into the other bedroom.

She stood in front of him, and he removed his robe, and his jacket and his tie. She removed her stockings and shoes. He removed his shirt, shoes, and socks. She reached around and removed her bra. As it slipped off her shoulders, he walked up to her. She licked her lips, self-consciously, but that single act filled him with more desire than he had ever felt in his whole life.

"I've waited a lifetime for you," he said. He dipped his head and kissed her mouth. A long, passionate kiss. His mouth moved to her jaw, and then to her shoulder. He stood back up and said, "No pressure, but I've wanted you forever."

"No pressure," she mimicked, "However, I must remind you that we have done this before, and the proof is asleep in the next room."

Draco put his arms tightly around her body and said, "We've never done this as man and wife, and there's the difference."

He led her to the bed and pulled back the covers. She lay back on the silk sheets. He put one knee on the bed, and leaned down. He put one hand on each side of her body, and he kissed her again. He moved his mouth so it was between her breasts. He put the other knee on the bed as well, and reclined next to her. He put his right hand on her left breast, and played with her nipple, moving his thumb back and forth, back and forth. He watched as this simple movement hardened the pink pearl. He leaned over and licked the tip of the other breast with this tongue, with long, wide strokes. It soon was as erect as the other was. He continued to kiss her breasts, and around her breasts, and soon his hand was traveling down to her hips to remove her knickers.

Hermione pushed him over to his back, from his side. She removed his slacks by removing his belt, and then unzipping the fly. She slowly pulled them down his legs. She put her hand on top of him, over his boxers, before removing them as well. She kissed his neck, as her fingertips caressed his chest. She moved her hand down to his stomach, as her lips moved with her hand. She was kissing his nipple; as her hand reached down to stroke him. He was close to the edge, and frankly, that just would not do.

He removed her hand and said, "Not yet." He pushed her to her back, none to gently. He put his hands on her breasts, and his mouth trailed kissed down her stomach. He licked around her bellybutton, which made her suppress a laugh. He moved his hands down both legs, starting at her thighs, to her knees, to her calves. His mouth started kissing her left leg as his hand moved down her right. He positioned himself between her legs and pushed her legs apart. He kissed her lower stomach and her pelvic bone.

Soon, her hips were moving with his mouth. He knew she was ready, so he placed his mouth between her legs, at her core, and he stayed there until her muscles in her abdomen started to contract. She bit down on her bottom lip and pushed him off her with her leg. She kicked him!

"NOT YET!" she said, which was what he said to her just moments before. If Hermione wanted a war, then she just threw down the gauntlet. She roughly pushed him back to his back, and raked her nails down his chest. She put her mouth on him, taking his full length at once. If she kept that up, she would win, because he was not going to last long.

She continued her assault, until he lifted her head from him, and in a sex-induced haze, said, "That's enough." He pushed her back again, and he entered her swiftly, with a single purpose. That purpose was the mutual assent and then decent, the rise and fall, the coming and going, the yin and yang, which would define the lovemaking of Draco and Hermione, also known as a man called Malfoy and a girl called Granger.

Hermione parted her legs as far as she could. She bent her knees, so he could get even closer. He was pushing, and she was pulling. "Come on, Granger!" he prodded. Hermione shut her eyes and bit her lip so hard she made it bleed. He said once more, "Now, Hermione!"

She was moving her head back and forth. Both hands went above her head, as she raised her hips as far as his body on top of her would allow. He didn't think he could last much longer, and he didn't have to. She started to cry out, almost a wail, and when she finally found her voice, she said, "Oh, Please, Draco!" and he thrust once more and found his release. She cried out and so did he.

Draco was truly, and utterly complete. He could not move. Someone help him, but he literally could not move. She had to move him physically off her body. He reached over for her and pulled her to his side. She put her leg over his body and he wrapped his arms around her. He put his hand on her hip, smacked her lightly, and said, "Bloody good show, Granger."

"Cheers to you, as well, Malfoy," she remarked, with a smile. Then she said, "By the way, my name isn't Granger any longer. You better get some sleep, Poppa, because your baby always wakes up at three am, and you 'l be required to give her a bottle."

That woke him right up. He forgot that he had a baby, and that she was in the next room. "I don't know how," he said, looking at her peaceful frame.

"You'll learn," she said, as she started to go to sleep. Draco sat up on the side of the bed. How could he possibly go to sleep now? He stood up, put his slacks back on and walked over to the baby's room. Hermione saw him leave their room. She put on his shirt and joined him by the baby's bed.

"You have two hours until she will need her bottle," she said quietly. "I wouldn't really make you do it on your own. I'll show you." She snaked a hand around his waist.

He put his arm around her shoulder, and his other hand went down and touched the baby's back. "It dawned on me," he said, "I'm a father and a husband all at once. That's strange."

"Is it?" she said, looking up at him.

"It is for me," he said, kissing her forehead.

"Come to bed, Draco," Hermione said.

"Soon," he replied.

"I'm really glad you stole our room all those months ago," she said, looking up at him.

"I'm really glad I gave it back to you. I almost didn't. If I hadn't, then we wouldn't have even gotten together, and then apart, and then together, and then apart, and then together…"

"Shut up," Hermione pinched his arm.

He sat down on the edge of the big bed in that room and said, "Let's sleep in here with her, just in case she needs us."

"I'd like that," Hermione said.

He pulled back the covers, took off his trousers, and climbed into bed. She kept his shirt on and climbed in the sheets beside him. He said, "Could the baby come and sleep in the bed with us?"

"No, that's not a good idea," Hermione said with a yawn.

"Just this once?" he begged. "It's our wedding night, for all of us."

Hermione thought about how she wanted the baby in her arms when she walked down the aisle. That was how this was for him. She got up and lifted the sleeping baby from her crib, and climbed in beside her husband. She handed the baby to him and said, "For a little while, but we can't fall asleep with her in the bed with us."

"I don't want to sleep right now anyway. I just want to look at my baby and my wife. I'm enjoying the view," he said, looking from his wife to his baby. He said, "This room really does have the best view in all of Italy, perhaps in the entire world."

Hermione smiled and nodded in agreement.

THE END


End file.
